ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 331

European flag  

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 59
9 September 2016


Notice No

Contents

page

 

IV   Notices

 

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

 

European Commission

2016/C 331/01

Euro exchange rates

1

 

NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

2016/C 331/02

Update of the list of border crossing points as referred to in Article 2(8) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (codification)

2


 

V   Announcements

 

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

 

European Commission

2016/C 331/03

Notice concerning the judgments in Joined cases C-186/14 P and C-193/14 P in relation to Council Regulation (EC) No 926/2009 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and collecting definitively the provisional duty imposed on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009

4

 

OTHER ACTS

 

European Commission

2016/C 331/04

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

7


EN

 


IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

9.9.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/1


Euro exchange rates (1)

8 September 2016

(2016/C 331/01)

1 euro =


 

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,1296

JPY

Japanese yen

114,80

DKK

Danish krone

7,4429

GBP

Pound sterling

0,84560

SEK

Swedish krona

9,4945

CHF

Swiss franc

1,0917

ISK

Iceland króna

 

NOK

Norwegian krone

9,1950

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

27,021

HUF

Hungarian forint

308,06

PLN

Polish zloty

4,3103

RON

Romanian leu

4,4514

TRY

Turkish lira

3,3179

AUD

Australian dollar

1,4632

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,4546

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

8,7615

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,5158

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,5201

KRW

South Korean won

1 230,87

ZAR

South African rand

15,7057

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

7,5255

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,4850

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

14 720,30

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

4,5664

PHP

Philippine peso

52,945

RUB

Russian rouble

72,1488

THB

Thai baht

39,220

BRL

Brazilian real

3,5982

MXN

Mexican peso

20,7145

INR

Indian rupee

74,9830


(1)  Source: reference exchange rate published by the ECB.


NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES

9.9.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/2


Update of the list of border crossing points as referred to in Article 2(8) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (codification) (1)

(2016/C 331/02)

The publication of the list of border crossing points as referred to in Article 2(8) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (2) is based on the information communicated by the Member States to the Commission in conformity with Article 39 of the Schengen Borders Code.

In addition to the publication in the Official Journal, a regular update is available on the website of the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Replacement of the information published in OJ C 324, 9.11.2013.

LIST OF BORDER CROSSING POINTS

Air borders

A.   Public (3)

(1)

Brno — Tuřany

(2)

Karlovy Vary

(3)

Mnichovo Hradiště

(4)

Ostrava — Mošnov

(5)

Pardubice

(6)

Praha — Ruzyně

B.   Non-public (4)

(1)

Benešov

(2)

České Budějovice

(3)

Havlíčkův Brod

(4)

Hradec Králové

(5)

Chomutov

(6)

Kunovice

(7)

Letňany

(8)

Liberec

(9)

Plzeň — Líně

(10)

Přerov

(11)

Roudnice nad Labem

(12)

Vodochody

(13)

Vysoké Mýto

C.   Military (5)

(1)

Čáslav

(2)

Kbely

(3)

Náměšť

List of previous publications

 

OJ C 316, 28.12.2007, p. 1.

 

OJ C 134, 31.5.2008, p. 16.

 

OJ C 177, 12.7.2008, p. 9.

 

OJ C 200, 6.8.2008, p. 10.

 

OJ C 331, 31.12.2008, p. 13.

 

OJ C 3, 8.1.2009, p. 10.

 

OJ C 37, 14.2.2009, p. 10.

 

OJ C 64, 19.3.2009, p. 20.

 

OJ C 99, 30.4.2009, p. 7.

 

OJ C 229, 23.9.2009, p. 28.

 

OJ C 263, 5.11.2009, p. 22.

 

OJ C 298, 8.12.2009, p. 17.

 

OJ C 74, 24.3.2010, p. 13.

 

OJ C 326, 3.12.2010, p. 17.

 

OJ C 355, 29.12.2010, p. 34.

 

OJ C 22, 22.1.2011, p. 22.

 

OJ C 37, 5.2.2011, p. 12.

 

OJ C 149, 20.5.2011, p. 8.

 

OJ C 190, 30.6.2011, p. 17.

 

OJ C 203, 9.7.2011, p. 14.

 

OJ C 210, 16.7.2011, p. 30.

 

OJ C 271, 14.9.2011, p. 18.

 

OJ C 356, 6.12.2011, p. 12.

 

OJ C 111, 18.4.2012, p. 3.

 

OJ C 183, 23.6.2012, p. 7.

 

OJ C 313, 17.10.2012, p. 11.

 

OJ C 394, 20.12.2012, p. 22.

 

OJ C 51, 22.2.2013, p. 9.

 

OJ C 167, 13.6.2013, p. 9.

 

OJ C 242, 23.8.2013, p. 2.

 

OJ C 275, 24.9.2013, p. 7.

 

OJ C 314, 29.10.2013, p. 5.

 

OJ C 324, 9.11.2013, p. 6.

 

OJ C 57, 28.2.2014, p. 4.

 

OJ C 167, 4.6.2014, p. 9.

 

OJ C 244, 26.7.2014, p. 22.

 

OJ C 332, 24.9.2014, p. 12.

 

OJ C 420, 22.11.2014, p. 9.

 

OJ C 72, 28.2.2015, p. 17.

 

OJ C 126, 18.4.2015, p. 10.

 

OJ C 229, 14.7.2015, p. 5.

 

OJ C 341, 16.10.2015, p. 19.

 

OJ C 84, 4.3.2016, p. 2.

 

OJ C 236, 30.6.2016, p. 6.

 

OJ C 278, 30.7.2016, p. 47.


(1)  See the list of previous publications at the end of this update.

(2)  OJ L 77, 23.3.2016, p. 1.

(3)  According to the category of users, civil international airports are divided into public and non-public airports. Within the limits of their technical and operating capacity, public airports accept all aircraft.

(4)  Users of non-public airports are defined by the Úřad pro civilní letectví (Czech civil aviation authority) following a proposal from the airport operator.

(5)  International military airports are for the use of the Czech armed forces and other authorised users designated by the Czech Ministry of Defence.


V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

European Commission

9.9.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/4


Notice concerning the judgments in Joined cases C-186/14 P and C-193/14 P in relation to Council Regulation (EC) No 926/2009 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and collecting definitively the provisional duty imposed on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009

(2016/C 331/03)

Judgments

In its judgment of 7 April 2016 in Joined cases C-186/14 P and C-193/14 P the Court of Justice of the European Union dismissed the appeals brought by ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Ostrava a.s., ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Roman SA, Benteler Deutschland GmbH, formerly Benteler Stahl/Rohr GmbH, Ovako Tube & Ring AB, Rohrwerk Maxhütte GmbH, Dalmine SpA, Silcotub SA, TMK-Artrom SA, Tubos Reunidos SA, Vallourec Oil and Gas France SAS, formerly Vallourec Mannesmann Oil & Gas France SAS, Vallourec Tubes France SAS, formerly V & M France SAS, Vallourec Deutschland GmbH, formerly V & M Deutschland GmbH, Voestalpine Tubulars GmbH & Co. KG, Železiarne Podbrezová a.s. (‘ArcelorMittal and Others’) and the Council of the European Union to set aside the judgment of the General Court of 29 January 2014 in Hubei Xinyegang Steel v Council (T-528/09), whereby the General Court upheld the application of Hubei Xinyegang Steel Co. Ltd for annulment of Council Regulation (EC) No 926/2009 of 24 September 2009 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty and collecting definitively the provisional duty imposed on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China (1).

Consequences

As a direct consequence of the judgments, imports into the European Union of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China, produced by Hubei Xinyegang Steel Co., Ltd, are deemed to have never been subject to anti-dumping measures, and anti-dumping duties collected so far must therefore be reimbursed in accordance with the applicable customs legislation.

Another consequence of the judgments relates to all the other Chinese exporting producers of seamless pipes and tubes, whose imports are currently subject to anti-dumping duties under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272 (2). That consequence is the subject of this notice.

Reopening

Given that the illegalities identified in the judgments concern the substance of the findings on threat of injury made by the Union institutions, the Commission has decided to reopen the anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China which led to the adoption of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272.

The reopening is limited in scope to the repeal of the extended anti-dumping duties on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China pursuant to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272, in so far as those duties are imposed on the Chinese exporting producers named in that Regulation other than Hubei Xinyegang Steel Co., Ltd The investigation will examine whether it is appropriate to repeal that Regulation in light of the judgments of the Court of Justice and the General Court at stake.

Written submissions

All interested parties are invited to make their views known, submit information and provide supporting evidence on issues pertaining to the reopening of the investigation. Unless otherwise specified, this information and supporting evidence must reach the Commission within 20 days of the date of publication of this Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Possibility to be heard by the Commission investigation services

All interested parties may request to be heard by the Commission investigation services. Any request to be heard should be made in writing and should specify the reasons for the request. For hearings on issues pertaining to the reopening of the investigation the request must be submitted within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union. Thereafter, a request to be heard must be submitted within the specific deadlines set by the Commission in its communication with the parties.

Instructions for making written submissions and sending correspondence

Information submitted to the Commission for the purpose of trade defence investigations should be free from copyrights. Interested parties, before submitting to the Commission information and/or data which is subject to third party copyrights, must request specific permission to the copyright holder explicitly allowing a) the Commission to use the information and data for the purpose of this trade defence proceeding and b) to provide the information and/or data to interested parties to this investigation in a form that allows them to exercise their rights of defence.

All written submissions and correspondence provided by interested parties for which confidential treatment is requested shall be labelled ‘Limited’ (3).

Interested parties providing ‘Limited’ information are required to furnish non-confidential summaries of it pursuant to Article 19(2) of the basic Regulation (4), which will be labelled ‘For inspection by interested parties’. These summaries should be sufficiently detailed to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information submitted in confidence. If an interested party providing confidential information does not furnish a non-confidential summary of it in the requested format and quality, such information may be disregarded.

Interested parties are invited to make all submissions and requests by email including scanned powers of attorney and certification sheets, with the exception of voluminous replies which shall be submitted on a CD-ROM or DVD by hand or by registered mail. By using email, interested parties express their agreement with the rules applicable to electronic submissions contained in the document ‘CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IN TRADE DEFENCE CASES’ published on the website of the Directorate-General for Trade: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2011/june/tradoc_148003.pdf The interested parties must indicate their name, address, telephone and a valid email address and they should ensure that the provided email address is a functioning official business email which is checked on a daily basis. Once contact details are provided, the Commission will communicate with interested parties by email only, unless they explicitly request to receive all documents from the Commission by another means of communication or unless the nature of the document to be sent requires the use of a registered mail. For further rules and information concerning correspondence with the Commission including principles that apply to submissions by email, interested parties should consult the communication instructions with interested parties referred to above.

Commission address for correspondence:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Trade

Directorate H

Office: CHAR 04/039

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

Email: TRADE-SPT-COURT@ec.europa.eu

Hearing Officer

Interested parties may request the intervention of the Hearing Officer in trade proceedings. The Hearing Officer acts as an interface between the interested parties and the Commission investigation services. The Hearing Officer reviews requests for access to the file, disputes regarding the confidentiality of documents, requests for extension of time limits and requests by third parties to be heard. The Hearing Officer may organise a hearing with an individual interested party and mediate to ensure that the interested parties' rights of defence are being fully exercised.

A request for a hearing with the Hearing Officer should be made in writing and should specify the reasons for the request. For hearings on issues pertaining to the reopening of the investigation the request must be submitted within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice in the Official Journal of the European Union. Thereafter, a request to be heard must be submitted within specific deadlines set by the Commission in its communication with the parties.

The Hearing Officer will also provide opportunities for a hearing involving parties to take place which would allow different views to be presented and rebuttal arguments offered on issues pertaining, among other things, to the implementation of the judgments.

For further information and contact details interested parties may consult the Hearing Officer's web pages on DG Trade's website: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/trade-policy-and-you/contacts/hearing-officer/

Processing of personal data

Any personal data collected in this investigation will be treated in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (5).

Disclosure

All interested parties, including the exporting producers in the PRC and the Union industry, will be informed of the essential facts and considerations on the basis of which it is intended to implement the judgments and will be given an opportunity to comment.


(1)  OJ L 262, 6.10.2009, p. 19.

(2)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2272 of 7 December 2015 imposing a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes of iron or steel originating in the People's Republic of China following an expiry review pursuant to Article 11(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009 (OJ L 322, 8.12.2015, p. 21).

(3)  A ‘Limited’ document is a document which is considered confidential pursuant to Article 19 of the basic Regulation and Article 6 of the WTO Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994 (Anti-Dumping Agreement). It is also a document protected pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43).

(4)  Council Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009 (‘the basic Regulation’) was repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union (OJ L 176, 30.6.2016, p. 21).

(5)  OJ L 8, 12.1.2001, p. 1.


OTHER ACTS

European Commission

9.9.2016   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/7


Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2016/C 331/04)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

MIEL VILLUERCAS-IBORES

EU No ES-PDO-0005-01268 — 21.10.2014

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Name

‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’ is honey made from native flora by bees of the species Apis mellifera.

On the basis of the different areas of vegetation the following types of honey have been defined:

single-flower retama honey (Retama sphaerocarpa),

single-flower chestnut honey (Castanea sativa),

multifloral honey (miel de milflores),

honeydew honey.

(a)   Common characteristics of all PDO ‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’ honeys:

Physical characteristics

moisture

14-17 %


Chemical characteristics

HMF (when placed on the market)

< 10 mg/kg

Electrical conductivity

Not less than 0,8 mS/cm (chestnut and honeydew honey).

Not more than 0,8 mS/cm (retama and multifloral honey).

Sucrose

< 5 g/100 g

Fructose + glucose

> 60 g/100 g (in general)

> 45 g/100 g (honeydew honey)

(b)   Pollen:

Retama honey: > 50 % Retama sphaerocarpa.

Chestnut honey: > 70 % Castanea sativa.

Multifloral honey: this is the honey collected at the beginning of summer and its pollen spectra reflect the floral diversity of the preceding months; it is rich in pollen from the area’s characteristic Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Ericaceae, Lamiaceae and/or Cistaceae.

Honeydew honey: this is the honey made by the bees from secretions produced by or found on the living parts of plants, especially species of the Fagaceae family and the genus Quercus, together with a small percentage of pollen from the area’s characteristic Fagaceae, Ericaceae, Lamiaceae and/or Cistaceae.

This is produced mainly at the end of summer, which is the time of year when the fewest plants are in flower in the areas where the bees collect nectar.

(c)   Diastase activity: not less than 30.

(d)   Organoleptic characteristics:

Retama honey: light to dark amber colour with reddish lights; very aromatic with a sweet taste.

Chestnut honey: dark amber colour, with reddish or greenish tones. Strong aroma. Slightly acidic, bitter and with an astringent character.

Multifloral honey: colour ranging from light to dark amber depending on the flowers, with variable aroma and taste.

Honeydew honey: dark amber colour; less sweet taste and strong, characteristic smell.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The honey comes only from beehives located in the production area; transhumance outside this area is not allowed.

Removal of the bees from the frames using brushes and/or smokers.

Uncapping carried out in the traditional way using knives or combs.

Extraction of the honey from the combs by centrifugation.

Storage of the honey in drums or settling tanks.

Decantation and filtration of the honey to remove impurities.

In the exceptional situation that the survival of the hive is in jeopardy, because of a poor harvest, supplementary feeding of the bees is permitted outside the nectar collection period. The food may consist of one or several of the following products: honey from the hive itself, sucrose (cane sugar), glucose and fruit syrup.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers

The packaged honey must be in a liquid (fluid) or solid (crystallised) state.

Crystallised honey is heated to a maximum temperature of 45 °C for decantation and packaging.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

The honey must bear a numbered secondary label with the designation logo, which must be affixed at the packaging facility in such a way that it cannot be reused. It must bear the EU symbol and the ‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’ PDO logo.

The ‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’ PDO logo is as follows:

Image

On the right-hand side is the name ‘Extremadura’ and a map on which the honey production area is marked with two concentric circles.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The honey production area is located in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura (Spain), in the south-east of the province of Cáceres. It comprises a total of 27 municipalities, which make up the comarca of Villuercas-Ibores; all these municipalities are in the province of Cáceres.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Natural factors

The comarca of Villuercas-Ibores consists of a series of mountain formations, which are extraordinarily steep and jagged, topped by armorican quartzite crags and flanked by slate and sandstone. The highest peak is in the La Villuerca massif (1 601 m). The hydrographic network includes rivers that form part of the Tagus and Guadiana basins. The ombroclimate is of the subhumid type and therefore precipitation is generally higher than in most of the other comarcas of Extremadura.

According to the USDA’s classification system (Soil Taxonomy) the soils are entisols, inceptisols and alfisols. the entisols form very narrow strips on the plains of the rivers Ruecas and Silvadillos. The inceptisols are basically found on north-facing mountain slopes. The alfisols are found in the southern part of the area, in river terraces and scrub plains. They are soils that have few of the requisite characteristics for crop-growing, but are suitable for forestry activities.

The comarca of Villuercas-Ibores has a rich and diverse flora, corresponding to the biogeographical area in which it is located (Ladero, 1987), and large areas of pasture and scrubland where the bees can harvest nectar extensively from native flowers, which produces a honey with excellent qualities. There are also numerous groves of holm oak, cork oak, chestnut and oak trees, which provide the bees with nectar, pollen and honeydew. Although the comarca is generally populated with forest and dehesa species, chestnut, olive, matorral and Cistus are the area’s most important species, together with large oak forests.

From among the countless plant species from which the bees can obtain food, some of the most important melliferous plants in the comarca of Villuercas-Ibores are listed below; they are all native to the production area:

BORAGINACEAE: Echium plantagineum L. (purple viper’s bugloss), Anchusa azurea Miller (lengua de buey).

BRASSICACEAE: Raphanus raphanistrum L. (wild radish).

ERICACEAE: Erica australis L. (brezo rubio or colorado), Erica lusitanica Rudolphi (brezo blanco), Erica umbellata L. (brezo, quiruela), Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull (ling heather), Arbustus unedo L. (strawberry tree).

FABACEAE: Retama sphaerocarpa L. (retama común, retama de bolas), Trifolium stellatum L. (starry clover), Genista tridentata (carquesa), Cytisus multiflorus (escoba or retama blanca).

FAGACEAE: Castanea sativa Miller (chestnut), Quercus pyrenaica Willd. (Pyrenean oak), Quercus rotundifolia L. (holm oak), Quercus suber L. (cork oak).

LAMIACEAE: Lavandula stoechas subsp. pedunculata Miller (cantueso, tomillo borriquero), Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary).

ROSACEAE: Rubus ulmifolius Schott (elmleaf blackberry).

APIACEAE (UMBELLIFERAE): Erynginum campestre L. (field eryngo).

CISTACEAE: Cistus ladanifer L. (brown-eyed rockrose), Cistus spp. and Halimium spp. (rockroses in general).

Human factors

The comarca of Villuercas-Ibores has always been linked with beekeeping. Specific references go back to at least 1086 and make mention of such well-known events as the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe (1575). Today, there are still many place names in the comarca that recall bees and the local flora (Castañar, Carrascalejo, Peraleda), and natural features with names that evoke beekeeping activity, such as ‘La Umbría del Colmenar’ in the municipality of Cañamero and ‘El Arroyo del Enjambrero’ and ‘Valle del Enjambrero’ in the municipality of Alía.

The production area has a markedly rural and mountainous character, with municipalities with low population densities, where crops and livestock farming are the main livelihood. These circumstances, and a native flora virtually unaltered by human activity, make it a good area for beekeeping, where the honey is still extracted in the traditional way in order to preserve all its qualities.

One significant local traditional beekeeping practice concerns the management of the hives. There is no transhumance and the beehives may only be moved from one place to another within the production area.

Another basic feature of the production process is that the last batch of honey is left for the hive to eat. The local beekeepers thereby practice non-intensive apiculture. When the honeycomb is removed from the hive in the autumn, they do not extract all the honey, but leave the requisite reserves to feed the hive. In this way the well-being of the bees is respected and the hive is sustainable, so the bees are kept in top condition.

Specificity of the product

The production area, with its long beekeeping tradition, is a part of Extremadura where beekeepers have been making good use of the native flora for centuries. The choice of the name ‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’ reflects the historical prestige of honey in this area, the skill and traditional and artisanal techniques with which it is prepared and the special qualities of the honey, which derive from the environment in which it is produced.

Moreover, unlike in other comarcas of Extremadura, there is no transhumance, so the honey obtained is homogeneous in terms of the local flora, and its particular characteristics derive solely from the natural and human factors that come together in the defined geographical area.

Evidence of the traditional production system can be seen in the values that are obtained for given parameters for the final product, which are an indication of the high quality of the honey:

characteristically low HMF values, which indicate freshness and artisanal production,

low moisture values, which indicate ripeness and are due to the fact that the comb remains capped as this is not an intensive form of beekeeping,

high diastase activity, due to the freshness of the honey,

electrical conductivity values and organoleptic properties that are characteristic of the type of pollen from which it is made.

Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product

Study of the different pollen spectra has made it possible to define the geographical markers that characterise ‘Miel Villuercas-Ibores’, i.e. the pollen of all its flora, giving homogeneous pollen profiles which are specific to the area and contain no more than 1 % pollen from cultivated or non-native plants.

The honeydew honey is another distinctive feature of this unique area, which was recently designated the Villuercas Ibores Jara Global Geopark by Unesco. This honey is made in September and October when flowering is coming to an end or has stopped completely and the bees do not have any nectar. They collect secretions from the living parts of plants of the Fagaceae family or secretions found on them due to the action of certain insects. This enables them to survive during the months when there is no nectar, given that there is no transhumance to other areas where they could find flowers. This differentiates it from other honeydew honeys from other areas, as it is not as sweet, as indicated by its glucose + fructose index (> 45 g/100 g).

Publication reference of the specification:

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

http://www.gobex.es/filescms/con03/uploaded_files/SectoresTematicos/Agroalimentario/Denominacionesdeorigen/PC_mielVilluercasIbores.pdf


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.