Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.9813 – Blackstone/IQSA Holdings)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2020/C 150/01)

On 29 April 2020, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32020M9813. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.9811 – Franklin Resources/Legg Mason)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2020/C 150/02)

On 29 April 2020, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in English and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

—	in the merger section of the Competition website of the Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/cases/). This website provides various facilities to help locate individual merger decisions, including company, case number, date and sectoral indexes,

—	in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32020M9811. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

---

(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

Euro exchange rates (1)

5 May 2020

(2020/C 150/03)

1 euro =

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,0843
JPY	Japanese yen	115,71
DKK	Danish krone	7,4612
GBP	Pound sterling	0,87060
SEK	Swedish krona	10,6980
CHF	Swiss franc	1,0525
ISK	Iceland króna	159,30
NOK	Norwegian krone	11,1730
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	26,978
HUF	Hungarian forint	350,27
PLN	Polish zloty	4,5316
RON	Romanian leu	4,8260
TRY	Turkish lira	7,6866
AUD	Australian dollar	1,6825
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,5201
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	8,4057
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,7910
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,5359
KRW	South Korean won	1 324,81
ZAR	South African rand	19,9018
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	7,6575
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,5735
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	16 372,93
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,6674
PHP	Philippine peso	54,863
RUB	Russian rouble	80,4713
THB	Thai baht	35,126
BRL	Brazilian real	5,9576
MXN	Mexican peso	25,8850
INR	Indian rupee	82,1435

---

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

COMMISSION DECISION

of 16 April 2020

instructing the Central Administrator of the European Union Transaction Log to enter changes to the international credit entitlement tables in the Union international credit entitlement table in the European Union Transaction Log

(2020/C 150/04)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (1),

Having regard to Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013 of 2 May 2013 establishing a Union Registry pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Decisions No 280/2004/EC and No 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Commission Regulations (EU) No 920/2010 and (EU) No 1193/2011 (2), and in particular Article 59(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)	The number of international credits that operators are entitled to is set in accordance with the provisions of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1123/2013 of 8 November 2013 on determining international credit entitlements pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.

(2)	The entitlements set in accordance with Article 1(2) – (5) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1123/2013 are updated automatically every year by the Union Registry on the basis of verified emissions. In the case of new installations and new aircraft operators there is no initial value.

(3)

Member States are required by Article 2 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1123/2013 to notify changes to their international credit entitlement table to the Commission which shall pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013 instruct the central administrator to make the corresponding changes to the international credit entitlement table held in the European Union Transaction Log (EUTL) if these changes are in conformity with Directive 2003/87/EC and measures adopted pursuant to its Article 11a.

(4)	By letter dated 3 March 2020, Austia notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(5)	By letter dated 17 March 2020, Belgium notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(6)	By letter dated 19 March 2020, Cyprus notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(7)	By letter dated 9 March 2020, Czechia notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(8)	By letter dated 20 March 2020, Denmark notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(9)	By letter dated 24 March 2020, Estonia notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(10)	By letter dated 28 February 2020, Finland notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(11)	By letter dated 23 March 2020, France notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(12)	By letter dated 16 March 2020, Germany notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(13)	By letter dated 19 March 2020, Ireland notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(14)	By letter dated 17 March 2020, Italy notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(15)	By letter dated 23 March 2020, Latvia notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(16)	By letter dated 18 March 2020, Malta notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(17)	By letter dated 17 March 2020, the Netherlands notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(18)	By letter dated 20 March 2020, Poland notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(19)	By letter dated 18 March 2020, Romania notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(20)	By letter dated 17 March 2020, Slovakia notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(21)	By letter dated 23 March 2020, Spain notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(22)	By letter dated 18 March 2020, Sweden notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(23)	By letter dated 25 March 2020, the United Kingdom notified changes to its international credit entitlement table for the period from 2008 to 2020 pursuant to Article 59(3) of Commission Regulation (EU) No 389/2013.

(24)	The Commission has not found inconsistencies between the changes notified and Directive 2003/87/EC or measures adopted pursuant to Article 11a,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

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(1)  OJ L 275, 25.10.2003, p. 32.

(2)  OJ L 122, 3.5.2013, p. 1.

New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2020/C 150/05)

National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by Belgium

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For informing the public and all parties who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 10 February 2009 (2), euro-area Member States and countries that have concluded a monetary agreement with the European Union providing for the issuance of euro coins are authorised to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, one of these being that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country: Belgium

Subject of commemoration: Jan van Eyck

Description of the design: The inner part of the piece depicts the portrait of the famous Flemish artist Jan van Eyck, together with his signature and a painter’s palette that also contains the initials LL, referring to the designer of the coin, Mr Luc Luycx and two paintbrushes. Above this, you can find the name J. van Eyck.

As the Royal Dutch Mint will strike the coins, the mintmark of Utrecht, a mercury staff is located on the bottom together with the Belgian mint director mintmark, the coat of arms of the municipality Herzele. The country code BE and the year mark 2020 is located on the right.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Number of coins to be issued: 155 000 coins

Date of issue: second half of 2020

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(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national faces of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 10 February 2009 and the Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (OJ L 9, 14.1.2009, p. 52).

Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to a product specification for a name in the wine sector referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33

(2020/C 150/06)

This communication is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1)

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Pays d’Oc’

PGI-FR-A1367-AM03

Date of communication: 23.1.2020

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Vine varieties

In Chapter I of the product specification for the protected geographical indication ‘Pays d’Oc’, secondary varieties have been added to point 5 (Vine varieties) as follows:

Cabernet Cortis N for reds and rosés;

Cabernet Blanc B, Muscaris B, Soreli B and Souvignier Gris B for whites.

These five grape varieties are from a list of 16 varieties that, following studies and testing, were added to France’s official list of wine grape varieties in 2017 and 2018 as the vine varieties in question are known for their resistance to downy and powdery mildew. They are listed in the product specification as ‘novel secondary varieties’ and their presence in the varietal mix must not exceed 15 % of the volume of ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wine made. These varieties are polygenically resistant to downy and powdery mildew, and are therefore more likely to remain free from these fungal diseases – which struggle to overcome this type of resistance – in the long term.

The use of these varieties makes it possible to reduce the use of synthetic plant protection products while preserving the organoleptic properties that are characteristic of the wines covered by this PGI.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   Name of the product

Pays d’Oc

2.   Geographical indication type

PGI – Protected Geographical Indication

3.   Categories of grapevine product

1.

Wine

5.	Quality sparkling wine

16.	Wine of overripe grapes

4.   Description of the wine(s)

General

The protected geographical indication ‘Pays d’Oc’ is used for still wines, quality sparkling wines and wines from overripe grapes. These may be red, rosé, white, gris (very pale rosés) and gris de gris (gris made exclusively from ‘G’ grape varieties).

The PGI ‘Pays d’Oc’ covers a wide range of products, with varietal wines making up over 90 % of the volume produced. Alongside Mediterranean varieties such as Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah – which are preferred for the light and fruity gris and rosé wines – more recently introduced vine varieties, such as Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, give well-structured reds with red fruit aromas.

For any analytical values not specified below, the products must comply with the requirements of general legislation.

The still wines

The whites are yellow-hued with green to golden hints. Those made from the Viognier, Sauvignon and Chardonnay varieties – for example – feature a marked minerality. In general these are lively, aromatic white wines with a certain degree of aromatic strength, with aromas ranging from citrus fruit to floral notes (white flowers, violets), enhanced by a touch of vivaciousness.

The rosés have violet hints, turning pale pink in the case of the gris and gris de gris wines. They are characterised by freshness, lightness and finesse with harmonious notes of fruits (blackcurrants, strawberries) and flowers. These characteristics are brought out, in particular, by the Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah varieties.

The red wines are generally a more or less intense shade of garnet. Their aromas, which vary in strength, range from red fruits (blackcurrant, raspberry, cherry, etc.) to more pronounced notes of spice, liquorice or cocoa. When aged, they are rich in pigments and mild tannins. The reds are often blends of varieties, with each of them contributing flavour (leather, undergrowth), intensity of colour (intense red, dark purple) and tannin structure thanks to modern wine-making methods.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)	10
Minimum total acidity
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

The quality sparkling wines

A range of quality sparkling wines made from individual grape varieties has been developed, and since the 1990s it has been possible to market these wines under their varietal names. Their colours and aromatic properties match those of the still wines, and they are characterised by the freshness and aromatic finesse of the grape varieties from the Pays d’Oc region that are most suitable for making these wines, mainly Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier and Muscat à Petits Grains. These quality sparkling wines have light, elegant bubbles and floral or fruity aromas depending on the varieties used. By tailoring the different winemaking techniques, winemakers are able to preserve the intrinsic qualities of these grape varieties – their primary aromas of fresh fruit and their vivaciousness in particular. The processing of wine into sparkling wine is increasingly carried out by external firms that are able to provide this service on demand.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

The wines from overripe grapes

Wines made from grapes harvested when they are overripe or affected by noble rot – which makes them rich in sugars and allows them to develop complex aromas – are produced in smaller quantities.

This production of a small quantity of PGI ‘Pays d’Oc’ wines from overripe grapes is a throwback to the Languedoc region’s ancient history of making these strong wines, the only wines that stood up to storage and transportation. With hints of colour ranging from straw yellow to brown and pear and yellow fruit aromas, they are made by leaving the grapes to raisin on the vine and/or develop noble rot.

The whites, made without the use of enrichment, are made from grapes harvested when they are overripe or are affected by noble rot, and their fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content is at least 45 g/l, with volatile acidity not exceeding 24,48 mEq/L.

For all other analytical values, the wines must comply with general legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5.   Wine-making practices

a.   Essential oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

For a wine to use the PGI, the main grape varieties must make up more than 50 % of its volume. Any secondary varieties used must account for less than 50 % of the volume and novel varieties may not account for more than 15 %.

The PGI name may be supplemented with the name of a single grape variety provided that:

—	the variety in question is on the list of main varieties;

—	the wine is declared under this varietal name;

—	the variety in question accounts for at least 85 % of the composition.

The PGI name may be supplemented with the name of two or more grape varieties provided that:

—	the varieties in question are on the list of main varieties;

—	the wine is declared under these varietal names, whether or not they are in a blend;

—	each of the varieties in question account for at least 15 % of the composition.

Red or rosé wines may be made using a white grape variety from the list of main varieties or the list of novel secondary varieties provided that:

—	the musts of the different grapes are made into wine together; and

—	if the white grapes used are from the list of main varieties, the white must accounts for no more than 20 % of the declared volume of wine; or

—	if the white grapes used are from the list of novel varieties, the white must accounts for no more than 15 % of the declared volume of wine.

Malolactic fermentation must be completed by the first taste-testing of red wines – with the exception of ‘early’ or ‘new’ red wines labelled primeur or nouveau – and red wines made from overripe grapes.

Specific oenological practice

Wines from overripe grapes must come exclusively from the vintage year stated on the label.

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines made from overripe grapes must be aged for at least six months from the harvest date.

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines labelled as sur lie or ‘on the lees’ spend only one winter in the vat or cask and are on their fine lees at the time of bottling. ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI sur lie wines may not be bottled before 21 March of the year following harvest.

Malolactic fermentation must be completed by the first taste-testing of ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI red wines – with the exception of ‘early’ or ‘new’ red wines labelled primeur or nouveau – and red wines made from overripe grapes.

In addition to the above rules, the wine-making practices used must comply with EU law and the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.

b.   Maximum yields

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI red and white wines

90 hectolitres per hectare

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI rosé, gris and gris de gris wines

100 hectolitres per hectare

6.   Demarcated geographical area

The grapes to be used to make still ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines – including wines from overripe grapes – must be harvested and made into wine in the Departments of Aude, Gard, Hérault, Pyrénées-Orientales and the municipalities of Ispagnac, Montbrun, Quézac, Sainte-Enimie, La Malène and Les Vignes in the Department of Lozère.

The grapes to be used to make quality sparkling wines must be harvested and made into wine in the Departments of Gard, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales and in certain municipalities in the Departments of Lozère and Aude, namely:

Ispagnac, Montbrun, Quézac, Sainte-Enimie, La Malène and Les Vignes in the Department of Lozère

Aigues-Vives, Airoux, Alaigne, Alairac, Albas, Albières, Alzonne, Aragon, Argeliers, Argens-Minervois, Armissan, Arques, Arquettes-en-Val, Artigues, Arzens, Aunat, Auriac, Axat, Azille, Badens, Bages, Bagnoles, Baraigne, Barbaira, Belcaire, Belcastel-et-Buc, Belflou, Belfort Sur Rebenty, Bellegarde-du-Razès, Belpech, Belvèze-du-Razès, Belvianes-et-Cavirac, Belvis, Berriac, Bessède-de-Sault, Bizanet, Bize-Minervois, Blomac, Bouilhonnac, Bouisse, Bourigeole, Boutenac, Bram, Brenac, Brézilhac, Brousses-et-Villaret, Brugairolles, Bugarach, Cabrespine, Cahuzac, Cailla, Cailhau, Cailhavel, Cambieure, Campagna-de-Sault, Camplong-d’Aude, Camps-sur-l’Agly, Camurac, Canet, Capendu, Carcassonne, Carlipa, Cascastel-des-Corbières, Castans, Castelnau-d’Aude, Castelnaudary, Caudebronde, Caudeval, Caunes-Minervois, Caunette-sur-Lauquet, Caunettes-en-Val, Caux-et-Sauzens, Cavanac, Caves, Cazalrenoux, Cazilhac, Cenne-Monestiés, Chalabre, Citou, Clermont-sur-Lauquet, Comigne, Comus, Conilhac-Corbieres, Conques-sur-Orbiel, Corbières, Counozouls, Coudons, Couffoulens, Coursan, Courtauly, Coustouge, Cruscades, Cubières-sur-Cinoble, Cucugnan, Cumiès, Cuxac-Cabardès, Cuxac-d’Aude, Davejean, Dernacueillette, Donazac, Douzens, Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse, Durban-Corbières, Embres-et-Castelmaure, Escales, Escouloubre, Escueillens-et-Saint-Just-de-Beleng, Espezel, Fabrezan, Fajac-en-Val, Fajac-la-Relenque, Fanjeaux, Félines-Termenès, Fendeille, Fenouillet-du-Razès, Ferrals-les-Corbières, Ferran, Feuilla, Fitou, Fleury, Floure, Fontcouverte, Fontanès-de-Sault, Fonters-du-Razès, Fontiers-Cabardès, Fontiès-d’Aude, Fontjoncouse, Fournes-Cabardès, Fourtou, Fraisse-Cabardès, Fraisse-des-Corbières, Galinagues, Gaja-la-Selve, Generville, Gincla, Ginestas, Ginoles, Gourvieille, Gramazie, Granès, Greffeil, Gruissan, Gueytes-et-Labastide, Homps, Hounoux, Issel, Jonquières, Joucou, La Bezole, La Cassaigne, La Courtète, La Fajeolle, La Force, La Louvière-Lauragais, La Palme, La Pomarède, La Redorte, La Tourette-Cabardès, Labastide-d’Anjou, Labastide-en-Val, Labastide-Esparbairenque, Labécède-Lauragais, Lacombe, Lafage, Lagrasse, Lairière, Lanet, Laprade, Laroque-de-Fa, Lasbordes, Lasserre-de-Prouille, Lastours, Laurabuc, Laurac, Lauraguel, Laure-Minervois, Lavalette, Les Brunels, Le Bousquet, Le Clat, Les Casses, Les Ilhes, Les Martys, Lespinassière, Leuc, Leucate, Lézignan-Corbières, Lignairolles, Limousis, Luc-sur-Orbieu, Mailhac, Maisons, Malves-en-Minervois, Malviès, Marcorignan, Marquein, Marsa, Marseillette, Mas-Cabardès, Mas-des-Cours, Mas-Saintes-Puelles, Massac, Mayreville, Mayronnes, Mazerolles-du-Razès, Mazuby, Merrial, Mézerville, Miraval-Cabardès, Mirepeisset, Mireval-Lauragais, Missègre, Molandier, Molleville, Montauriol, Montbrun-des-Corbières, Montclar, Montferrand, Montfort-sur-Boulsane, Montgaillard, Montgradail, Monthaut, Montirat, Montjardin, Montjoi, Montlaur, Montmaur, Montolieu, Montréal, Montredon-des-Corbières, Montséret, Monze, Moussan, Moussoulens, Mouthoumet, Moux, Narbonne, Nébias, Névian, Niort-de- Sault, Ornaisons, Orsans, Ouveillan, Padern, Palairac, Palaja, Paraza, Payra-sur-l’Hers, Paziols, Pech-Luna, Pécharic-et-le-Py, Pennautier, Pépieux, Pexiora, Peyrefitte-du-Razès, Peyrefitte-sur-l’Hers, Peyrens, Peyriac-de-Mer, Peyriac-Minervois, Pezens, Plaigne, Plavilla, Pomy, Port-la-Nouvelle, Portel-des-Corbières, Pouzols-Minervois, Pradelles-Cabardes, Pradelles-en-Val, Preixan, Puginier, Puichéric, Puylaurens, Puivert, Quillan, Quintillan, Quirbajou, Raissac-d’Aude, Raissac-sur-Lampy, Rennes-le-Château, Rennes-les-Bains, Ribaute, Ribouisse, Ricaud, Rieux-en-Val, Rieux-Minervois, Rivel, Rodome, Roquecourbe-Minervois, Roquefere, Roquefeuil, Roquefort-des-Corbières, Roquefort-de-Sault, Roubia, Rouffiac-des-Corbières, Roullens, Routier, Rouvenac, Rustiques, Saint-Amans, Saint-André-de-Roquelongue, Saint-Benoît, Sainte-Colombe-sur-Guette, Saint-Couat-d’Aude, Saint-Denis, Saint-Ferriol, Saint-Frichoux, Saint-Gauderic, Saint-Jean-de-Barrou, Saint-Jean-de-Paracol, Saint-Julia-de-Bec, Saint-Julien-de-Briola, Saint-Just-et-le-Bezu, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, Saint-Louis-et-Parahou, Saint-Marcel-sur-Aude, Saint-Martin-de-Villereglan, Saint-Martin-des-Puits, Saint-Martin-Lalande, Saint-Martin-le-Vieil, Saint-Martin-Lys, Saint-Michel-de-Lanes, Saint-Nazaire-d’Aude, Saint-Papoul, Saint-Paulet, Saint-Pierre-des-Champs, Saint-Sernin, Sainte-Camelle, Sainte-Colombe-sur-l’Hers, Sainte-Eulalie, Sainte-Valière, Saissac, Sallèles-Cabardès, Sallèles-d’Aude, Salles-d’Aude, Salles-sur-l’Hers, Salsigne, Salvezine, Salza, Seignalens, Serviès-en-Val, Sigean, Sonnac-sur-l’Hers, Sougraigne, Souilhanels, Souilhe, Soulatge, Soupex, Talairan, Taurize, Termes, Terroles, Thézan-des-Corbières, Tournissan, Tourouzelle, Trassanel, Trausse, Trèbes, Treilles, Tréville, Tréziers, Tuchan, Valmigère, Ventenac-Cabardès, Ventenac-en-Minervois, Véraza, Verdun-en-Lauragais, Verzeille, Vignevieille, Villalier, Villanière, Villar-en-Val, Villardebelle, Villardonnel, Villarzel-Cabardès, Villarzel-du-Razès, Villasavary, Villautou, Villedaigne, Villedubert, Villefloure, Villefort, Villegailhenc, Villegly, Villemagne, Villemoustaussou, Villeneuve-la-Comptal, Villeneuve-les-Corbières, Villeneuve-les-Montréal, Villeneuve-Minervois, Villepinte, Villerouge-Termenès, Villesèque-des-Corbières, Villesèquelande, Villesiscle, Villespy, Villetritouls and Vinassan in the Department of Aude.

7.   Main wine grape variety(ies)

Alicante Henri Bouschet N

Altesse B

Alvarinho – Albariño

Bourboulenc B – Doucillon blanc

Cabernet franc N

Cabernet-Sauvignon N

Caladoc N

Carignan N

Carmenère N

Chardonnay B

Chasan B

Chenin B

Cinsaut N – Cinsault

Clairette rose Rs

Colombard B

Cot N – Malbec

Gamay N

Gewurztraminer Rs

Grenache N

Grenache blanc B

Grenache gris G

Gros Manseng B

Macabeu B – Macabeo

Marsanne B

Marselan N

Mauzac B

Merlot N

Mondeuse N

Morrastel N – Minustellu, Graciano

Mourvèdre N – Monastrell

Muscat d’Alexandrie B – Muscat, Moscato

Muscat de Hambourg N – Muscat, Moscato

Muscat à petits grains blancs B – Muscat, Moscato

Muscat à petits grains rouges Rg – Muscat, Moscato

Nielluccio N – Nielluciu

Négrette N

Petit Manseng B

Petit Verdot N

Pinot blanc B

Pinot gris G

Pinot noir N

Portan N

Riesling B

Roussanne B

Sauvignon B – Sauvignon blanc

Sauvignon gris G – Fié gris

Semillon B

Sylvaner B

Syrah N – Shiraz

Tempranillo N

Terret blanc B

Vermentino B – Rolle

Viognier B

8.   Description of the link(s)

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of production spans the entire Departments of Languedoc-Roussillon, Aude, Gard, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales as well as six municipalities in Lozère.

It forms a vast amphitheatre framed by a series of mountain ranges to the north, from the Pyrenees to the Cévennes, and extends down to the Mediterranean Sea, passing through a range of geological contexts, from the Paleozoic Era to the Quaternary Period. Whatever their geological origins, the soils in which the vines grow are suitable for this purpose: they are all dry and rather stony, not particularly fertile but with good drainage, allowing roots to grow deep.

Amidst debate on how to establish a much-needed differentiation between the various products of France’s vineyards, the ‘Vin de Pays’ category was created in 1979. On 10 October 1987 a Decree was issued creating a regional ‘Vin de Pays’, ‘Pays d’Oc’.

Developed on the basis of favouring both Languedoc’s historical varieties and varieties from beyond the region’s borders, ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI follows in the Mediterranean tradition of trading, including in vine varieties.

Specificity of the product

The list of vine varieties authorised for making ‘Pay d’Oc’ PGI wines currently numbers 63. Alongside Mediterranean varieties such as Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, there are other varieties of international renown that have been more recently introduced to France. The most important examples are red Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Caladoc grapes and white Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Viognier and Alvarinho grapes.

Each with its own distinctive features and complementing one another, these different vine varieties are perfectly suited to the climate of the ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI region, particularly now that climate change has demonstrably warmed up the region. They also allow winemakers to unleash their creativity in making their authentic wines. For example, the Petit Verdot lends itself well enough to ageing to be made into a varietal wine.

Although the Mediterranean varieties are generally favoured for the rosés, Carignan gives harmonious results when made into red wine, lending it an intense depth of colour, and can be blended with other varieties, most notably Merlot.

The use of these different varieties in winemaking is constantly developing. Reds tend to make up half of the volume of wine made, with rosés and whites accounting for a quarter each.

Varietal and multi-varietal wines account for 95 % of the volume made, placing ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI as the European leader in varietals and varietal blends.

In order to ensure the best possible quality, there are strict rules on production conditions and analytical values, and all batches are systematically taste-tested.

It is the region’s unique Mediterranean conditions that makes it possible for varietals to account for the vast majority of the wines made there.

In the same context, the region’s long-standing tradition of sparkling winemaking has undergone major development since the beginning of the century, resulting in a range of quality sparkling wines.

Languedoc’s vineyards, which date back to Roman times, actually produced their first sparkling wines through the use of perforated amphorae to ferment musts.

Sparkling wine was first made at the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Hilaire in the Department of Aude in 1531. This paved the way for sparkling winemaking to develop throughout the region that today constitutes the production area for ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI. In 1883, basing itself on the concept of ‘rural modernity’, the Compagnie des Salins du Midi developed the Domaine Royal de Jarras in the Department of Gard – owned by the Benedictine monks of Psalmody Abbey and acquired by Saint Louis in 1244 – into a larger-scale winery, and this included making sparkling wines.

As sparkling wine production was increasing, there was a need to develop the technology used, and in 1907, Jean-Eugène Charmat, a Montpellier-based agronomist, was granted a patent for his invention, a technique for fermenting musts in pressure tanks to make sparkling wines, at the Ecole Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier (which in 1946 became Montpellier SupAgro). The fact that this method, known as Charmat, was developed in the Languedoc-Roussillon region shows the importance of sparkling winemaking – and of the development of the associated expertise – to the region’s economy.

From the beginning of the 20th century sparkling wine production expanded throughout the Departments making up the Languedoc-Roussillon region, stimulated by the economic growth of the region’s winemaking industry and the vineyards’ ability to adapt to this type of production.

The specific properties of these wines – characterised by their hues, freshness and aromatic finesse – reflect the choice selection of varieties, planted on well-exposed slopes in soils with a good water reserve, giving good-quality red, white and rosé sparkling wines made mainly from Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier and Muscat à Petits Grains.

This production of a small quantity of PGI ‘Pays d’Oc’ wines from overripe grapes is a throwback to the Languedoc region’s ancient history of making these strong wines, the only wines that stood up to storage and transportation. With hints of colour ranging from straw yellow to brown and pear and yellow fruit aromas, they are made by leaving the grapes to raisin on the vine and/or develop noble rot.

The specific requirement that wines labelled as sur lie (‘on the lees’) be bottled in establishments located within the defined geographical area and the ‘area in immediate proximity’ has been included in the product specification with the aim of preserving the essential characteristics of those wines, which are the result of the interaction between the natural environment and the expertise developed by winemakers on how best to bring out the wines’ organoleptic qualities through vinification and cellar operations.

Causal link between the specificity of the geographical area and the specificity of the product

The combination of a typical Mediterranean climate with soils that are rather dry, not very fertile but with good draining, allowing roots to grow deep, makes it possible to grow a range of different varieties and means that their agricultural potential can be harnessed in full. How these different varieties express themselves within the territory, marked by the influence of a southern climate, is what makes ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI unique.

A century-old tradition of sparkling winemaking in the region, combined with the winemakers’ experience and expertise and the benefits of top-class technical equipment, come together to produce top-of-the-range original quality sparkling wines. In terms of varietal wines, these have a special place in the quality sparkling wines category thanks to the presence of varieties that are naturally suited to the territory.

The influence of the sea breezes on the entire production area gives the varieties that are harvested early on a set of intense primary aromas, perfect for making quality sparkling wines.

The Languedoc-Roussillon area owes its sparkling winemaking tradition to a combination of factors that have proven highly beneficial to the production of sparkling wines: soils with a good water reserve on well-exposed slopes, a particularly sunny Mediterranean climate tempered by the influence of sea breezes, and the expertise of local growers.

The combination of these elements (soils, climate, and the influence of the winds), the growers’ mastery of farming techniques, and the fact that the range of suitable aromatic varieties is limited, brings resistance to diseases caused by cryptograms allowing them to be kept in check. This means that the vineyards stay healthy, without major pest attacks, so the grapes can be harvested at technological maturity, and are very well placed to produce quality sparkling wines with fine bubbles and a long-lasting foam.

Sparkling winemaking is a deeply rooted tradition in the ‘Pays d’Oc’ area. A large volume of these wines is made and they have a high added value. This sector involves up to 150 cooperative wineries and 1 000 individual wineries, and their products are sold both in France and abroad.

This undisputed success is only possible thanks to the long tradition of production, ancestral expertise, and the fact that the vine varieties are perfectly suited to the soil and climate of the ‘Pay d’Oc’ PGI territory.

The fact that a range of different varieties are used to make a range of complementary and high-quality products clearly demonstrates that the ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI vineyards are modern, efficient, and suited to the territory, while being mindful and respectful of their history.

Almost 2 000 businesses – 200 cooperative wineries, 1 200 individual wineries, 65 trading winemakers and over 450 wine merchants – are involved in making and selling ‘Pays d’Oc’ wines.

Each year, grapes for the ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI are grown on almost 115 000 of the 240 000 hectares of vineyards present in Languedoc-Roussillon.

A restructuring process – both in terms of oenological engineering and varietal development – that began almost 40 years ago has benefited from the work of further and higher education centres in the region conducting scientific and technical research into winegrowing: the ENTAV (the National Technical Institute for Improvements in Winegrowing) in the Department of Gard, where all French vine varieties and clones are kept, the Institut des Hautes Études de la Vigne et du Vin (Institute for Higher Education in Vine and Wine) in Montpellier and the technological exchange at INRA (National Agronomic Research Institute) Pech Rouge in the Department of Aude.

As a result, ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines – whether still wines, quality sparkling wines or wines from overripe grapes – have, thanks to the uniqueness of the grape varieties used, made a name and a place for themselves, not just on European markets but around the world.

They are present in 170 countries, with northern Europe accounting for 75 % of the volume, North America 9 % and China 7 %.

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI therefore represents a long-standing winemaking tradition that has been carried on within a context of modernity, allowing the wines to become known by consumers and contributing to the PGI’s reputation.

Numerous promotion initiatives are conducted throughout the wine season, from harvest to the tasting of the current vintage, both within the region and at trade fairs around the world. The region’s attraction as a tourist destination means that a large number of visitors have the opportunity to discover its vineyards by following driving or walking tours, bringing them to the wineries attached to those vineyards, where they can discover their wines and admire their architectural heritage. All of these initiatives help to develop ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI and build up its reputation.

It is an undisputed fact that, since it was created, ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI has been at the heart of the revival of the Languedoc-Roussillon winegrowing industry, helping to preserve the region’s vineyards, a key element that structures life in its villages and influences spatial planning in the region.

9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation on the production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The ‘area of immediate proximity’ defined by derogation for the production of still ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines comprises the cantons that border the Departments of Aude, Gard, Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales:

Anglès, Arles, Avignon-1, Avignon-2, Avignon-3, Ax-Les-Thermes, Barre-des-Cévennes, Bollène, Bourg-Saint-Andéol, Camarès, Campagnac, Châteaurenard, Cornus, Coucouron, Dourgne, Labruguière, Lacaune, Lavelanet, Le-Pont-de-Montvert, Le Pontet (municipalities of Le Pontet and Vedéne), Les Vans, Mazamet, Meyrueis, Mirepoix, Murat-sur-Vèbre, Nailloux, Nant, Orange, Peyreleau, Quérigut, Revel, Saint-Germain-de-Calberte, Saint-Amans-Soult, Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Saverdun, Sorgues, Tarascon, Valgorge, Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Vaison-la-Romaine (municipalities of Camaret-sur-Aigues, Travaillan and Violès), Villefort and Villefranche-de-Lauragais.

The ‘area of immediate proximity’ defined by derogation for the wine-making and processing of quality sparkling ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines comprises the Departments of Ardèche, Ariège, Aveyron, Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Garonne, Lozère, Tarn and Vaucluse.

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Packaging within the demarcated area

Description of the condition:

‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI wines labelled as sur lie or ‘on the lees’ must be bottled in establishments located within the geographical area and the ‘area of immediate proximity’. This preserves the essential characteristics of those wines and minimises the amount of naturally occurring carbon dioxide that is lost, so they retain their slight fizz.

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

The name of one or more vine varieties may be used alongside ‘Pays d’Oc’ PGI in accordance with the conditions laid down in the product specification.

The name of the vine variety (or varieties) must be displayed in the same visual field as the words ‘Pays d’Oc’.

For still wines only, the terms primeur or nouveau, indicating an ‘early’ or ‘new’ wine, may be used alongside the protected geographical indication ‘Pays d’Oc’.

For rosé and white wines, the words sur lie or ‘on the lees’ may be used alongside the protected geographical indication ‘Pays d’Oc’, provided that the wine is also labelled with the year of harvest.

The year of harvest must be stated on the labels of PGI ‘Pays d’Oc’ wines made from overripe grapes.

If the traditional term ‘Vin de Pays’ is used instead of Indication Géographique Protégée (‘Protected Geographical Indication’), the EU PGI logo must be displayed on the label.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-fc042b5e-a658-48e0-98a9-81f91cd27beb

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(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.

Publication of an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification 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

(2020/C 150/07)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’

EU No: PGI-ES-01211- AM01— 3.10.2018

PGI (X) PDO ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consejo Regulador de las Indicaciones Geográficas Protegidas Mojama de Barbate y Mojama de Isla Cristina,

Glorieta del Agua n° 4, planta 2, módulo 9

41940 Tomares

Seville

ESPAÑA

Tel. +34 954151823

Email: consejoregulador@consejoreguladordelamojama.com

The legitimate interest of the applicant group is based on the fact that it is the body responsible for managing the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ and was the original applicant for registration of the name.

2.   Member State or third country

Spain

3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

☐	Name of product

☒	Description of product

☐	Geographical area

☒	Proof of origin

☒	Method of production

☐

Link

☒

Labelling

☐	Other [to be specified]

4.   Type of amendment(s)

☒	Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

☐	Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5.   Amendment(s)

Section B. Description of product

5.1.

In the first paragraph of section B of the specification and in point 3.2 of the single document, the word ‘sazonado’ (‘seasoned’) has been replaced by ‘salado’ (‘salted’). This was a mistake which has been corrected. The correct description of the product under Spanish law is ‘salted and dried’. The term ‘sazonado’ is used for foods which are in season, meaning ripe or at their peak.

5.2.

In the third paragraph of section B of the specification and in point 3.2 of the single document, where Categoría Extra is defined, the words ‘which is less fatty’ have been deleted. - In the fourth paragraph of section B of the specification and in point 3.2 of the single document, where Categoría Primera is defined, the words ‘which contain more fat’ have been deleted. These phrases have been deleted as they are descriptive and do not characterise the product in any way.

5.3.

In section B of the specification and in point 3.2 of the single document the parameter ‘humedad relativa’ (relative humidity) has been replaced by ‘actividad de agua’ (water activity). This was a mistake as relative humidity is an environmental parameter while water activity measures the moisture in a food item. It has been established that the water activity (aw) must be below 0,90.

5.4.

In the first paragraph of subsection B.1 and in point 3.3, the weight of the bluefin tuna has been changed from 200 kg to 150 kg. This is justified by the smaller size of the fish currently caught, while naturally respecting the minimum permitted size, without compromising the quality of the finished product.

5.5.

In subsection B.2, aerobic mesophiles have been deleted from the parameters table as they are not pathogenic microorganisms. They are covered by the horizontal rules and do not enhance the quality of the product.

5.6.

The heavy metals table has been moved from subsection B.2 to B.1. Subsection B.1, which covers raw materials, is the section under which heavy metal content should be checked. The change is due to the need to know the concentration of heavy metals before the fresh cuts enter the production process. This is to ensure that finished products are never made from raw materials with a high heavy metal content.

Section D. Proof that the product originated in the area

5.7.

In the fourth paragraph of section D, the requirement for production logbooks to ‘follow the template adopted by the Regulatory Board’ has been removed, as the production logbook is a self-monitoring tool for operators and the Regulatory Board should not be involved. Again in section D, the whole of the seventh paragraph has been deleted, i.e. ‘The Board must issue the certified salting facilities with numbered labels to serve as a guarantee of origin and artisanal processes when the products are placed on the market’. This is because the use of numbered labels is not considered necessary for product control, which can be done effectively using product and batch identification numbers. The removal of this requirement facilitates placing the product on the market.

Section E. Description of the method of production

5.8.

Point c) of section E ‘Ronqueo (cutting-up of the tuna)’ has been developed generally, to give a more detailed description of the process, which is considered to be one of the most important steps in the production of quality mojamas. In the second paragraph, the following has been deleted: ‘the body of the tuna is opened out and the backbone removed’ and replaced by: ‘a slit is made along the line between the pelvic fin and anal finlets; then another slit is made along the line of the dorsal fin and dorsal finlets. It is this step that produces the sound which gives the process its name ronqueo. When the knife rubs against the backbone it makes a sound reminiscent of snoring (ronquido in Spanish). When the aforementioned slits have been made, two further slits are made, one on each side of the fish, at the insertion point of the pelvic fin. The purpose is to separate the two upper parts (negros or descargamentos) from the two lower parts (blancos or descargados). In the third paragraph, the following has been deleted: ‘The skin, remaining bones and dark meat are removed from the loins. After cleaning, the four loins produced from the upper parts and the four produced from the lower parts are washed and cut into strips. The length of the strips depends on the width of the tuna loin. The thickness must not exceed 5 cm’ and replaced by: ‘The skin is removed and the loins detached. They are cleaned of bones and sangacho (this is the traditional name for the strip of darker meat that runs along the length of the fish, produced by coagulated blood). This produces four loins classed as Extra and four classed as Primera. After cleaning, they are washed and cut into strips which eventually become mojamas. The length of the strips depends on the width of the tuna loin’. Again in the third paragraph, the requirement that the strips must not be ‘more than 5 cm’ thick has been deleted. The cutting is done manually, which means that, while the person cutting is highly skilled, there are inherent irregularities in the resulting cut. If a strip exceeds 5 cm at any point, the irregularities prevent certification of an otherwise perfectly executed operation. In addition, references to the level of fat in the classification of the loins obtained have been deleted from this section for the reason explained in point 5.2.

5.9.

In the first paragraph of point d) of section E ‘Salting’, the requirement that the layer of salt be 2 to 4 cm thick has been deleted. This is because checks conducted over the course of a year have shown the difficulty of making exact measurements owing to irregularities in the salt. What matters is that the loins are entirely covered by salt and never touch each other. In the same paragraph, for the same reason, the following has been deleted: ‘The tuna strips are entirely covered in order to ensure even distribution of salt’ and replaced by: ‘ensuring that no tuna loin touches another. The salt must be distributed evenly to ensure that the tuna strips are entirely covered’. In addition, the word ‘tuna’ has been replaced by ‘tuna loin’ to give a more accurate description of the material. This also applies to points e) and g) of section E of the specification, so that the raw material is described as ‘tuna loin’ throughout. In the second paragraph, the salting time has been amended from ‘between 18 and 36 hours’ to ‘between 18 and 50 hours’, as checks carried out have shown that the thicker loins need to be salted for longer.

5.10.

In the second paragraph of point e) of section E ‘Washing the loins’, the following has been deleted: ‘the strips are placed in cold water in piles and left to rest’ and replaced by: ‘the strips of tuna loin are placed in cold water baths. They are given a first washing to remove any salt clinging to them. They are then placed in baths of cold water and left to rest’. The purpose of this amendment is solely to improve the description of the process in order to assist checking against the specification. In the same paragraph, the following has been deleted: ‘During this process the water is changed three to four times’ and replaced by: ‘The water is changed at least once’. The reason is that checks have shown that so many changes of water are not necessary.

5.11.

Points g) and h) of section E of the specification have been combined into a single point g) ‘Drying’, as this represents the process more accurately. The division into two points is in fact artificial, as these are not two separate operations (curing and drying) but a single continuous process (drying), which takes place in the drying facility, where the washed and, where necessary, pressed strips of tuna loin are taken to be dried and from which the dry strips of tuna loin are removed, ready to be made into the final product. The fourth paragraph of point g) now includes the wording ‘although it must not last less than 15 days’ in order to establish the minimum time for natural drying. In the fifth paragraph, on the mixed process, an error has been corrected regarding the maximum permitted temperature. It has been changed from 16 °C to 17 °C, and a minimum drying period has been established, which must not be less than 15 days. In the sixth paragraph, on drying in tunnels, the established time for drying ‘from 15 to 21 days’ has been deleted. The stipulation is now merely that the process must last ‘a minimum of 12 days’. The reason for the amendment is that checks have shown that 12 days of drying is sufficient for obtaining perfect mojama of the required quality. In the fifth and sixth paragraphs, it has been clarified that the ‘humidity’ that is checked in the facilities is the ‘relative humidity’.

5.12.

Point i) has become h) owing to renumbering due to the merger of the previous points. A mistake has been corrected, with the term ‘loin’ being changed to ‘mojama’ as that is what it already is at this stage of the process. The phrase ‘the excess external oxidised fat remaining, which can be harmful or produce a bad taste’ has been deleted and replaced by the following: ‘the external imperfections that harm the product’s image’. This is a more accurate description of the process. The phrase ‘and therefore further from the backbone’ has been deleted, as it is redundant.

5.13.

Point j) has become i) due to the renumbering above. The text of this point and of point 3.2 of the single document has been amended to improve the wording, introduce a new type of packaging, the plastic tray, and remove descriptive expressions. Previous wording: ‘Packaging and identification: The product is vacuum packed in transparent plastic bags, duly labelled, in pieces of different weights or sliced in olive or sunflower oil. It may also be packed in glass jars, sliced in olive or sunflower oil. The product must be packaged at source in order to maintain the physical and chemical characteristics attained at the end of the process, in particular the salt content and relative moisture’. New text: ‘Packaging and identification: The product may be vacuum packed in transparent plastic bags in pieces of different weights or sliced. It may also be packed in plastic trays or glass jars, sliced in olive or sunflower oil. The product must be packaged at source in order to maintain the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics attained at the end of the process’. The references to the presentation of the finished product in section B, ‘Description of the product’, have been amended accordingly.

Section H. ‘Labelling’

5.14.

In section H of the specification entitled ‘Labelling’ the requirement regarding numbered labels has been removed, as stated in amendment 5.7. Again in section H and in point 3.6 of the single document, the requirement regarding use of the logo of the PGI’s regulatory board, incorrectly referred to as the ‘Protected Geographical Indication logo’ has also been removed. The requirement regarding use of the European Union PGI logo has of course been maintained. Thus in section H and in point 3.6 of the single document, the words ‘the label must bear the Protected Geographical Indication’s own logo, shown below:’ and the image of the logo in question have been deleted.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’

EU No: PGI-ES-01211- AM01— 3.10.2018

PGI (X) PDO ( )

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’

2.   Member State or third country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.7. Fresh fish, molluscs and crustaceans and products derived therefrom

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

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is made from the fine part of the tuna fish known as the loin, both the upper and lower loins, which are cured by being salted and dried in the air or in tunnels designed for that purpose.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is classed as either Extra or Primera.

Categoría Extra: this is mojama made from the inside part of the loin, i.e. the part that is in contact with the tuna backbone.

Categoría Primera: this is mojama made from the parts of the loin adjacent to the parts used for Categoría Extra.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is dark brown on the outside, while on the inside there are the streaks characteristic of tuna loin, which are much more conspicuous in Categoría Primera than in Categoría Extra. When cut it is varying shades of deep red, darker at the edges, with a texture that is compact, smooth and not very fibrous, and it smells and tastes of oily fish.

The salt content is between 3 % and 9 % and the water activity is below 0,90 in the finished product.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is vacuum-packed in transparent plastic bags in pieces of different weights or in slices. It may also be packed in plastic trays or glass jars, sliced in olive or sunflower oil.

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

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is made from tuna loin of the following species: Thunnus albacares, commercially known as yellowfin tuna, light tuna or rabil, and Thunnus thynnus, commercially known as bluefin tuna, with a live weight of more than 150 kg. There are no restrictions regarding the area of provenance of the raw material for ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’, but only wild tuna is used.

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

The following operations must take place in the defined geographical area: washing the tuna, cutting it up (traditionally known as ronqueo), washing the different cuts obtained, salting, repeated washing to reach the desired level of saltiness, pressing, curing of the loins by drying, trimming and final selection for packaging.

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

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ must be packaged at source in order to maintain the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics attained at the end of the process.

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

The following must appear prominently on the label of every producer marketing PGI ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’: the words ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ and the European Union PGI logo.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is made in the municipalities of Isla Cristina, Lepe, Cartaya and Ayamonte in the province of Huelva.

5.   Link with the geographical area

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is recognised on the national market as a gourmet product, characterised by careful preparation, a high price and discerning consumption. It can be found in food stores that specialise in regional specialities, in different parts of Spain.

The link between ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ and the geographical area derives from the prestige and reputation the product has acquired due to the area’s fish salting tradition. It is an area where tuna has been fished for centuries and is still fished today and where know-how resides in the artisanal preparation methods, based on knowledge and experience handed down from one generation to the next.

The whole coast of the Gulf of Cádiz has a long fishing and tuna-salting tradition, which dates from the times of the Phoenicians and the Tartessians, who taught the fishing techniques to the area’s early inhabitants, and there are references to catching tuna in a maze of nets that date back to that time.

Fishing was a flourishing way of life, and because there was a need to salt fish so that it could be traded, many fish-salting businesses sprang up around Isla Cristina, Ayamonte and Cartaya and generally all along the Huelva coast, where all kinds of tuna and other scombrids were prepared and exported all over the world.

Under the peoples who subsequently settled in the south of Spain, the fishing industry continued and prospered and it is still there today, preserving the traditional, artisanal methods of preparing and salting the tuna loins.

The traditional Huelva salting industry is concentrated in Isla Cristina, Lepe and Ayamonte, where the traditional preparation techniques are still used, the climatic conditions being especially suitable.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is the most important salted tuna product and the industry that prepares it has been developed by small and medium-sized family companies, run by the founders or their descendants, which has enabled the most traditional production methods to be maintained, incorporating only those new methods that improve food safety and permit comprehensive control of the production process, in the pursuit of enhanced quality.

To prepare the product, specialised knowledge and experience are required at every stage of the process: cutting up the fish, removing the loins used to make ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’, making the cuts in the right places, salting, where the skill lies in knowing how much to salt, then washing, which has to be done in a controlled manner to ensure that the excess – and only the excess – salt is eliminated, and finally drying, which takes place in optimal conditions due to the local microclimate, either naturally or in tunnels designed for that purpose.

Since 2001, Isla Cristina has hosted the Jornadas del atún [tuna week], where world experts gather to share knowledge of a species that is of relevance to tourism, the economy and conservation. The event is organised by the Muy Noble Sociedad de Amigos del Atún Thunnus thynnus y Amantes del Vino, and the activities organised to showcase traditional cuisine include professional mojama tasting, where prizes are awarded to Isla Cristina’s best mojamas, the Semana de Alta Gastronomía [haute cuisine week] where well-known restaurateurs prepare tuna dishes, or the Muestra Culinaria del Atún, involving most of Isla Cristina’s bars, tascas, restaurants and mesones, which compete to produce the excellent dishes passed down through generations of fishermen and their wives.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s publication Inventario Español de Productos Tradicionales (1996) and the research published by the Fundación Unicaja, entitled Catalogación y Caracterización de los Productos Típicos Agroalimentarios de Andalucía, Volume II (2006), list ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ as a traditional product.

As evidence of the product’s reputation in culinary circles outside the municipality, the ABC de Sevilla newspaper of 1 April 2003 reported on the III Jornadas Gastronómicas Andaluzas en el Ritz de Madrid: De Lepe a la Castellana. The article said that the event was inaugurated by the Coral Playa restaurant from La Antilla Lepe (Huelva) and the menu included jamón de la sierra de Aracena, ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ and Huelva’s famous prawns.

At the XIX Jornada Gastronómica de Granada held in 2010, one of the dishes that could be tasted was ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ en tostas con Salmorejo.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ is mentioned in the Anuario de la Cocina de la Comunitat Valenciana 2013, which was published on 7 December 2012 by José Manuel Rubio, a lover of fine food, and includes selected examples of national and European specialities.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ features on the menu of the Acánthum restaurant as one of its favourite entremeses.

On the menu of the Casa Machaquito restaurant ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ features as a local culinary speciality.

La Mirta, the restaurant in the Hotel Eurostar Tartessos, has an extensive online menu featuring ‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ along with two other prized products of Huelva province, prawns and ham.

‘Mojama de Isla Cristina’ also appears in the ‘Gruta’ Vademecum de Alimentos [food compendium], which gives a detailed description, with its physical characteristics and guidelines on how to make it.

Regarding the use of the name in everyday language, an article in the ABC de Sevilla newspaper of 7 August 2000 featured the expression ‘...tiesos cual mojama de Barbate o de Isla Cristina’ [an expression meaning ‘completely skint’].

Reference to publication of the specification

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

The full text of the product specification can be found at:

https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/export/drupaljda/Pliego_Isla_Cristina_modificado.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.