29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/1

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List of appointments made by the Council

January-June 2017 (social field)

(2017/C 247/01)

Committee	End of term of office	Publication in OJ	Person replaced	Resignation/appointment	Member/alternate/	Category	Country	Person appointed	Affiliation	Date of Council Decision
Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work	28.2.2019	OJ C 79, 1.3.2016	Ms Marisa RUFINO	Resignation	Alternate	Trade Union	Spain	Ms Ana GARCÍA DE LA TORRE	UGT	29.5.2017
Governing Board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work	7.11.2019	OJ C 386, 20.10.2016	Ms Marisa RUFINO	Resignation	Alternate	Trade Union	Spain	Ms Ana GARCÍA DE LA TORRE	UGT	29.5.2017

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/2

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Euro exchange rates (1)

28 July 2017

(2017/C 247/02)

1 euro =

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,1729
JPY	Japanese yen	130,37
DKK	Danish krone	7,4364
GBP	Pound sterling	0,89568
SEK	Swedish krona	9,5355
CHF	Swiss franc	1,1357
ISK	Iceland króna
NOK	Norwegian krone	9,3195
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	26,048
HUF	Hungarian forint	304,93
PLN	Polish zloty	4,2493
RON	Romanian leu	4,5580
TRY	Turkish lira	4,1462
AUD	Australian dollar	1,4732
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,4712
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	9,1613
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,5694
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,5947
KRW	South Korean won	1 317,62
ZAR	South African rand	15,2811
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	7,9087
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,4120
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	15 639,45
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	5,0229
PHP	Philippine peso	59,207
RUB	Russian rouble	69,8319
THB	Thai baht	39,146
BRL	Brazilian real	3,7015
MXN	Mexican peso	20,8089
INR	Indian rupee	75,2555

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

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/3

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8512 — A.P. Moller Mærsk/Danske Bank/Gatetu)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 247/03)

1.

On 19 July 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which A.P. Moller — Mærsk A/S (‘APMM’, Denmark) and Danske Bank A/S (‘DB’, Denmark) acquire, within the meaning of Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation, joint control over a newly created joint venture in Denmark (‘Gatetu’).

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — DB is a financial services company based in Denmark and listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. The company is active globally in retail and wholesale banking, pension schemes, insurance, mortgage finance, asset management, brokerage, real estate and leasing services. — APMM is an international group with activities in container shipping and terminal services, operation of tankers, harbour towage, logistics and energy (exploitation of oil and gas), active globally. — Gatetu is a fin-tech start-up which will offer software for online B2B platforms to facilitate payments and other financial services at a global level.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8512 — A.P. Moller Mærsk/Danske Bank/Gatetu, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/4

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8568 — Total/Atos/InTouch Corp/InTouch SAS)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 247/04)

1.

On 20 July 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Total Outre-Mer S.A. (‘TOM’, France) belonging to the Total group, Worldline S.A. (‘Worldline’, France) belonging to the Atos group (France) and InTouch Corp (Mauritius) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the undertaking InTouch SAS (France) and its subsidiaries by way of a purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: —   Total Outre-Mer: Total Marketing Services' activities in Africa; the Total group is active worldwide in the exploration, production, transport, storage and sale of oil and natural gas; the group is also present in the sectors of refining petroleum products and the retail and wholesale sale of refined products; the group is developing its activities in the field of renewables both by producing solar panels and by generating energy from renewable energy sources, —   Worldline: a subsidiary of the Atos group, active in the payments and transaction services sector, including merchant acquiring, acquiring processing, online banking, issuing processing and payment software licensing, provision of point of sale terminals and related services, mainly in the EEA, —   InTouch Corp: specialised in payment aggregation and digital services via mobile platforms in Mauritania, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and Cameroon, and —   InTouch SAS: payment aggregation solutions in Africa and certain countries of the Middle East.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under the Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8568 — Total/Atos/InTouch Corp/InTouch SAS, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/5

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8579 — HgCapital/Visma)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 247/05)

1.

On 20 July 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which HgCapital (United Kingdom) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of the undertaking Visma AS (‘Visma’) (Norway) by way of a purchase of shares.

2.	The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: —   for HgCapital: private equity investments, —   for Visma: supply of software solutions.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8579 — HgCapital/Visma to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/6

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.8577 — Norsk Hydro/Sapa)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2017/C 247/06)

1.

On 24 July 2017, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Norsk Hydro ASA (Norway) acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of the undertaking Sapa AS (Norway) by way of a purchase of shares.

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: —   for undertaking Norsk Hydro: a global supplier of aluminium with activities throughout the value chain, including the production and sale of primary aluminium, soft-alloy extrusions, building systems and flat-rolled products, —   for undertaking Sapa: a worldwide producer of aluminium products with three core activities: (i) soft alloy aluminium extrusions; (ii) building systems; and (iii) precision welded tubing. Sapa is a joint-venture currently jointly controlled by Norsk Hydro and Orkla ASA.

3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in this Notice.

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission. Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference M.8577 — Norsk Hydro/Sapa, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/7

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Publication of an application for approval of a minor amendment in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2017/C 247/07)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A MINOR AMENDMENT

Application for approval of a minor amendment in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council  (2)

‘HOLSTEINER KATENSCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER SCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER KATENRAUCHSCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER KNOCHENSCHINKEN’

EU No: PGI-DE-0713-AM01 – 30.3.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) TSG ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Name:	Schutzgemeinschaft Schleswig-Holsteinischer Schinkenhersteller e.V.
Address:	c/o Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein/Abteilung Gütezeichen Grüner Kamp 15-17 24768 Rendsburg DEUTSCHLAND
Tel.	+49 43319453401
Fax	+49 43319453409
Email:	mheid@lksh.de

Legitimate interest:

The applicant protection association is a group of producers of the product in question. The Schutzgemeinschaft Schleswig-Holsteinischer Schinkenhersteller e.V. [Association for the Protection of Ham-Producers in Schleswig-Holstein] also submitted the original application for protection and thus has a legitimate interest in this amendment application.

2.   Member State or Third Country

Germany

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

—	☒	Description of product
—	☐	Proof of origin
—	☒	Method of production
—	☒	Link with the geographical area
—	☐	Labelling
—	☐	Other [to be specified]

4.   Type of amendment(s)

—	☐	Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, that requires no amendment to the published single document
—	☒	Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, that requires an amendment to the published single document
—	☐	Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, for which a single document (or equivalent) has not been published
—	☐	Amendment to product specification of registered TSG to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5.   Amendment(s)

(underlined)

b)

Description: — In the middle of the first paragraph, ‘… slowly cold-smoked over beech wood’ is changed to ‘slowly cold-smoked over predominantly beech wood’. — In the third paragraph, ‘… for the slow cold-smoking method only beech wood is used’ is changed to ‘for the slow cold-smoking method predominantly beech wood (at least 75 %) is used’. Justification: The reason for the change is that the smoking material is bought in, and the purity of the beech wood from the sawmills and wood suppliers cannot be guaranteed. It can include alder and hazel wood (‘hedge wood’). The wording ‘predominantly’ therefore reflects the reality of the situation. As a minimum of 75 % beech wood is used for the smoking process, the Holsteiner Katenschinken’s typical taste, which relies on its being smoked over beech wood, is ensured.

e)

Method of production: — At the end of the first paragraph, ‘… the slow cold-smoking method over beech wood’ is changed to ‘the slow cold-smoking method over predominantly beech wood’. — Under point (7) Smoking, ‘… the traditional use of beech wood as fuel’ is changed to ‘the traditional use of predominantly beech wood (at least 75 %) as fuel’. Justification: See reasons under b) Description

f)

Link with the geographical area (2) Specificity of the product: — At the end of the third paragraph, ‘… traditional use of beech wood’ is changed to ‘traditional use of predominantly beech wood’. (3) Causal link: — In the middle of the first paragraph, ‘… cold-smoking over beech wood’ is changed to ‘cold-smoking over predominantly beech wood’. Justification: See reasons under b) Description

6.   Updated product specification (only for PDO and PGI)

(Only in the case referred to in the fifth subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014):

Reference to publication of the amended product specification https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/geo/detail.pdfdownload/41497

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘HOLSTEINER KATENSCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER SCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER KATENRAUCHSCHINKEN’ / ‘HOLSTEINER KNOCHENSCHINKEN’

EU No: PGI-DE-0713-AM01 – 30.3.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1.   Name(s)

‘Holsteiner Katenschinken’ / ‘Holsteiner Schinken’ / ‘Holsteiner Katenrauchschinken’ / ‘Holsteiner Knochenschinken’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Germany

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.2. Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked, etc.)

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

Holsteiner Katenschinken / Holsteiner Schinken / Holsteiner Katenrauchschinken / Holsteiner Knochenschinken, hereinafter referred to collectively as ‘Holsteiner Katenschinken’, is made from a ham from which the hinge bone and the tube bone have not been removed. The ham is round-cut (Hamburger Rundschnitt), salted by hand and slowly cold-smoked over predominantly beech wood. The entire production process, from the delivery of the meat to the maturing of the whole ham, takes place within the geographical area concerned over a period of at least four months. At the end of the maturing period, the cut surface of the ham has a strong red colour with slight marbling. It has a pleasant, natural smoky smell and taste, mainly of beech wood. The fat has a slightly nutty taste. As regards its tactile properties, Holsteiner Katenschinken is smooth and robust (solid).

Depending on the breed of pig, the finished hams weigh about 7,5 to 19 kg. The maximum water content is 68 %.

The basic ingredients are: ham, smoke, salt, saltpetre, nitrate curing salt and spices. In addition, for the slow cold-smoking method predominantly beech wood (at least 75 %) is used.

Holsteiner Katenschinken is sold as a whole ham, or is cut to the customer’s order. Cuts are also vacuum-packed and allowed to mature before being sold (thin flank, butt end, thick flank, slices).

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

The haunches of pigs of any origin are used to produce Holsteiner Katenschinken.

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

The entire production process, from the delivery of the raw material to the maturing of the whole ham, must take place within the specified geographical area.

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

—

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

The product (whole ham, cuts or slices) is labelled as Holsteiner Katenschinken on its packaging. The Schutzgemeinschaft Schleswig-Holsteinischer Schinkenhersteller e.V. [Association for the Protection of Ham-Producers in Schleswig-Holstein] allows its members to use an emblem which can be displayed on the packaging of whole sausages, cuts or slices of ‘Holsteiner Katenschinken’. Firms which are not members of the Association may also produce and market Holsteiner Katenschinken as long as they meet the conditions of the specification.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area comprises the entire federal state of Schleswig-Holstein.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

Holsteiner Katenschinken has a long tradition in Schleswig-Holstein and is a firmly established part of its regional culture.

The historical evolution of Holsteiner Katenschinken can be seen as the interaction of a number of factors. In Schleswig-Holstein, these factors define the special production process and the resulting high quality of Holsteiner Katenschinken:

—	The climatic conditions in Schleswig-Holstein led to the growth of forests, large proportions of which consisted of oak and beech. Their fruit, acorns and beechnuts, were used for fattening pigs. Pig-fattening and forestry used to be mainstays of the agricultural economy.

—

Beech wood was not only used for building houses; the fact that it burns slowly meant that it was also used on open fires. Given the abundance of wood and the nature of its economy, a particular type of house evolved in Schleswig-Holstein. This was known as a ‘Hallenhaus’, and did not have a chimney. Ham and other meat products were treated in the smoke of the open fire – one of the few conservation methods available at the time. Since the time of the earliest settlements in the region, on through the Middle Ages and up until the industrial age, this type of house was the predominant and most widespread form of dwelling in Schleswig-Holstein.

—	The Hallenhaus, which served as a model for the smokehouses (‘Räucherkaten’), is inextricably linked with the tradition and development of the cold-smoking process for Holsteiner Katenschinken, and is associated by consumers in a positive way with this special ham product.

—	Given the consistently high levels of air humidity, air-curing of ham is not possible in Schleswig-Holstein because mould forms very quickly. This was the reason for developing the special method of smoking used for Holsteiner Katenschinken.

—

Curing, the step prior to the process of smoking, was possible only because salt was available here from an early time. It could be obtained from sea salt, or by burning plants with high salinity. It was possible to satisfy increased demand by making use of the ‘Ochsenweg’ and ‘Salzstrasse’ trade routes.

—	At the start of the industrial age in the mid-19th century, when there was an increased demand for meat, ham-smoking in Schleswig-Holstein went beyond subsistence needs and began on a commercial scale.

—	The long-established smoking method is also firmly rooted in Schleswig-Holstein tradition. Traditionally, slaughtering pigs and smoking hams was work done during the cold season.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

The raw ham used to produce Holsteiner Katenschinken is salted entirely by hand. This is a dry curing process. The hams are cured for 3-8 weeks in the curing rooms at a constantly low temperature and are salted all over each week by hand. The curing mix is rubbed into the hams on the salting tables in the curing rooms and the hams are cured in curing basins or on shelves. During the curing process, salt and spices are slowly drawn from the outside of the ham to the inside.

After salting, the hams are brushed clean or rinsed and left for final curing in a controlled refrigerated environment. During this process the ham matures.

Before the ham is hung in the smoking chamber, it is allowed to surface dry. The smoking process can take several weeks. It takes place in both traditional smokehouses and in modern smoking chambers. The key to the typical taste of Holsteiner Katenschinken is the traditional use of beech wood as fuel. The beech wood is burnt slowly, gently glimmering and smoking, in the form of logs or chips.

After the end of the maturing period, the cut surface of the ham has a strong red colour with slight marbling. It has a pleasant, natural smoky smell and taste. The fat has a slightly nutty taste. As regards its tactile properties, Holsteiner Katenschinken is smooth and solid.

5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI):

The abovementioned factors specific to Schleswig-Holstein – climatic conditions, special type of house with an open fire, availability of the necessary raw materials, and economic development – have furthered the long tradition of producing Holsteiner Katenschinken by the special method of cold-smoking over beech wood, and have helped to give this product a special place in the culture of Schleswig-Holstein. Holsteiner Katenschinken has thus evolved into a typical regional speciality which is held in high esteem essentially because of its close ties with the region from which it originates.

Holsteiner Katenschinken is a typical regional speciality with a long tradition which is also well-known outside the region and enjoys a high reputation particularly within the region itself.

It has had an excellent reputation for many hundreds of years. The oldest written reference to it is in a document dating from 1608 which refers to sending ham from the region to Christian IV, King of Denmark, who was the ruler of the region at the time. The quality and high market value of the ham and bacon from the region compared with smoked products from Westphalia, Pomerania and Denmark was even especially mentioned in Zedler’s Universallexikon [universal dictionary] which appeared in 1742.

At the time of the voyages to the West Indies in the 18th century, ham and bacon from the region were among the most highly sought export products, which were traded for sugar and rum from the islands of the Caribbean.

Local restaurants have always offered Holsteiner Katenschinken as a particularly tasty regional speciality. For decades now it has been available throughout the year on virtually every restaurant or hotel menu offering regional specialities, and in local gastronomy it is the most frequently requested traditional accompaniment to locally produced asparagus.

Holsteiner Katenschinken is also featured as a highly sought delicacy in advertising material for tourism and in reports put out by a wide range of media. Traditional smokehouses producing smoked ham are established destinations for coach excursions for tourists and for many day visitors. A large number of seasonal ‘ham festivals’ help to create a high profile for Holsteiner Katenschinken.

In addition, the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein has for decades showcased Holsteiner Katenschinken as one of its outstanding typical specialities at the ‘International Green Week’ food and farm trade fair in Berlin.

Reference to publication of the product specification

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

Full specification published in:

Markenblatt Vol. 11 of 17.3.2017, Part 7e, p. 6962

https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/geo/detail.pdfdownload/41497

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(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

(2)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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29.7.2017

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 247/12

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Application for approval of a minor amendment made public in accordance with the fifth subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the establishment of the Union symbols for protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed and with regard to certain rules on sourcing, certain procedural rules and certain additional transitional rules

(2017/C 247/08)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of that Regulation (1).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A MINOR AMENDMENT

Application for approval of a minor amendment in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council  (2)

‘QUESO DE LA SERENA’

EU No: PDO-ES-2152 — 14.7.2016

PDO ( X ) PGI ( ) TSG ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

Regulatory Council for the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Queso de la Serena’

Ctra. EX-104, s/n (Ints. Ferial de La Serena)

06420 Castuera (Badajoz)

ESPAÑA

Tel. +34 924772114

Email: info@quesoserena.com

The Regulatory Council was recognised by the Order of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of 14 April 1993 ratifying the Regulation on the Designation of Origin ‘Queso de la Serena’ and its regulatory council (Official State Gazette No 100 of 27.4.1993). For the purposes of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014, it is therefore the same group that originally submitted the application to register the name to which the specification refers. Law 4/2010 of 28 April 2010 on regulatory councils for denominations of origin and geographical indications of agri-food quality in Extremadura now defines regulatory councils as PDO/PGI management bodies which have their own legal personality, financial autonomy and full powers to take action in pursuit of their ends. They operate on democratic principles and represent the economic and sectoral interests involved in the PDO/PGI, with special concern for minority interests, given that they must represent all of the various interests at stake equally, while maintaining a non-profit motive as their basic principle. Its functions, as laid down in Article 16(2)(g) of Law 4/2010, include ‘proposing amendments to the specification and taking part in any proceedings instituted for that purpose’.

This application for a minor amendment to the product specification has been agreed by the Regulatory Council for the Protected Designation of Origin ‘Queso de la Serena’ in accordance with its allotted role, and its interest is therefore entirely legitimate.

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment

—	☒	Product description
—	☐	Proof of origin
—	☐	Method of production
—	☐	Link
—	☐	Labelling
—	☒	Other: Inspection body and national legal requirements

4.   Type of amendment(s)

—	☐	Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and requiring no amendment to the published single document.
—	☐	Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and requiring an amendment to the published single document.
—	☒	Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, for which a single document (or equivalent) has not been published.
—	☐	Amendment to the product specification of a registered TSG to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5.   Amendment(s)

5.1.

The following paragraph in section ‘B (Description of product)’ of the specification has been amended as regards ‘the physical characteristics of the cheese after ageing’: — ‘Diameter: 18-24 cm’ has been replaced by ‘Diameter: 10-24 cm’. The proposed amendment has no effect whatsoever on the characteristics of the milk or the characteristics of the animals that produce it. Nor have the physico-chemical characteristics of the product itself changed (they remain unchanged, with the same thresholds as in the original specification), and as regards the physical characteristics of the cheese, its ‘shape’, ‘height’, ‘weight’, ‘rind’, ‘paste’ and ‘aroma and flavour’ also remain exactly the same. The only proposed change is to the lower threshold of the diameter range. It should be taken into account that, when the original specification was drawn up (more than 20 years ago), cheeses with a weight at the lower end of the range permitted in the specification (750-2 000 g) were uncommon. At the time, there was therefore little technical knowledge of the diameters that the smallest cheeses might have, and this was combined with the fact that, in a traditional production system such as this, it is difficult to be exact about certain measurements. In any case, the diameter of the cheese is not critical when it comes to defining the size of the product, unlike its weight. In this respect, in the original application file for ‘Queso de la Serena’, both the Summary and the Consolidated Version included only the following text under the heading relating to the product description: ‘Full-fat to extra full-fat cheese; matured, from soft to half-cured; wheel-shaped with flat faces and convex side; firm rind and soft to firm paste; weight 750 g to 2 kg’. Consequently, none of the elements included in the Summary or the Consolidated Version have changed and, ultimately, none of the essential characteristics of the product are affected. The requirement laid down in respect of minor amendments by Article 53(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs has therefore been met.

5.2.

Having regard to Article 7(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the whole of section ‘G (Inspection Body)’ of the specification has been replaced by the details of the current inspection body responsible for verifying compliance with the specification on the basis of Article 37(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. It is therefore simply a matter of updating this section to give the details of the product certification body to which the competent authority has delegated the task of verifying compliance with the specification for PDO ‘Queso de la Serena’, as provided for in Article 39 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and Article 59 and Chapter III of Title III of Law 6/2015 of 24 March 2015 on agriculture in Extremadura. With the proposed amendment, Section G of the specification reads as follows: ‘Name: AGROCOLOR, S.L. Address: Ctra. de Ronda, n.o 11, Bajo. 04004 Almería (Spain). Tel. +34 950280380 Email: agrocolor@agrocolor.es’

5.3.

Article 7(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 also makes it unnecessary to include Section ‘I (National legal requirements)’, so the whole section has been deleted from the specification.

6.   Updated product specification (only for PDO and PGI)

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

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘QUESO DE LA SERENA’

EU No: PDO-ES-02152 — 14.7.2016

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Name

‘Queso de la Serena’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Queso de la Serena’ is a soft to semi-hard cheese made from merino sheep’s milk. It is a full-fat to extra full-fat cheese, matured, shaped like a wheel, with flat faces and convex sides, a firm rind and a soft to firm paste. It weighs between 750 g and 2 kg, is between 4 cm and 8 cm in height and has a diameter of between 10 cm and 24 cm.

Its physico-chemical characteristics are as follows:

—   Fat: at least 50 % of the dry matter.

—   Dry matter: at least 50 %.

—   pH: between 5,2 and 5,9.

—   Total protein in dry matter: at least 35 %.

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

In the geographical area, pastures are not abundant but are of high quality, which gives the milk produced distinctive characteristics. At certain times of the year, the sheep leave the holding to graze on the stubble of cereal crops and sometimes the residues of irrigated crops. The applicable rules provide for the use of feed, where this is necessary, including specific rules on the sourcing of feed and raw materials for products with a protected designation of origin.

The milk used to produce ‘Queso de la Serena’ comes from merino sheep farms located within the production area. The milk must be obtained from healthy ewes and must be natural whole milk that is clean and free from impurities, colostrum and medicinal preservatives that might have a detrimental effect on the production, maturing and conservation of the cheese or on its hygiene and sanitary conditions.

The analytical characteristics of the milk are as follows:

—   Protein: at least 5 %,

—   Fat: at least 7 %,

—   Total dry extract: at least 18 %.

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

The stages of production that must take place within the geographical area defined in point 4 are as follows:

—	Production of the milk, with the characteristics and conditions specified in point 3.3, including milking, cooling, storage, collection and transportation of the milk.

—	Production of the cheese, including the coagulation of the milk, which takes place at a temperature of between 25 °C and 32 °C and takes between 50 and 75 minutes (using a natural vegetable coagulant obtained from dried Cynara Cardunculus flowers), cutting, moulding, salting and maturing.

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

—

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

The commercial labels of each registered company must be approved by the Regulatory Council for the PDO. Labels must bear the following wording: Denominación de Origen ‘Queso de La Serena’.

The marketed product must bear a numbered secondary label issued by the Regulatory Council for the PDO and affixed in the cheese-making plant in such a way that it cannot be reused.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area in which ‘Queso de la Serena’ is made, matured and produced comprises the following 21 municipalities in the extreme south-east of the province of Badajoz: La Haba, Magacela, La Coronada, Campanario, Esparragosa de Lares, Valle de la Serena, Zalamea de la Serena, Higuera de la Serena, Quintana de la Serena, Malpartida de la Serena, Esparragosa de la Serena, Castuera, Cabeza del Buey, Santi-Spiritus, Risco, Garlitos, Peñalsordo, Zarzacapilla, Capilla, Monterrubio de la Serena and Benquerencia de la Serena.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Historical

References to ‘Queso de la Serena’ can be found in a number of literary works:

Antonio Agúndez Fernández’s 1791 book Viaje a La Serena, which is about the district of La Serena and is taken from some manuscripts by the magistrate Agustín Cubeles, includes the following reference: ‘Famous for its flavour and good workmanship is its sheep’s milk cheese, an arroba of which is sold for 60 reales.’

The 16th and 17th century bye-laws of Cabeza del Buey contain references to tithing the cheese and the first fruits to be given to the parish church, as the farmer had to give all the cheeses made from the first batch milked for cheese-making to the parish priests of the town.

5.2.   Natural

(a)   Relief

In the Province of Badajoz, gently undulating terrain predominates, and, broadly speaking, the area is a peneplain. It is an area of high quality pasturelands — on skeletal shale and granite soils, covering around 300 000 ha — on which the merino sheep feed; in fact, this herbaceous pasture is the main energy source for the ecosystem of this region and is made up of diverse flora (see section on flora). The average altitude is 430 m.

(b)   Soil

In terms of its geological structure, the province of Badajoz is a Paleozoic peneplain with some later deposits and a large number of igneous outcrops.

There are shallow, moderately permeable cambric, silurian and granitic soils, through which the bedrock frequently crops out. The gradient is shallow, the topography gently undulating and the orientation south-facing. The soils are generally skeletal shale and granite, acidic, with a pH of 5 to 5,5 and low levels of phosphorus. Tree coverage is low, or non-existent in parts, which gives the region a deforested appearance.

(c)   Climate

The district of La Serena has a Mediterranean climate influenced by the Atlantic, with hot dry summers and mild and rainy winters. In this area, the winters are generally mild, although there is a period of frosts between 1 November and 10 March. The summers are hot and dry, and the main feature of the area is its aridity. Average annual rainfall is 498 mm.

(d)   Hydrography

The Guadiana Menor and Zújar rivers flow through the district of La Serena.

(e)   Flora

The plant species of the area include:

—	Vulpia ciliata, Bromus mollis and Agrostis spp. from the Gramineae family;

—	Trifolium (T. arvense, T. campestre and T. glomeratum);

—	Ornithopus compressus from the Leguminosae family; Helianthemum, Erodium, Plantago, Carlina and Hypochaeris.

5.3.   Production and processing systems

(a)   Production

The merino breed of sheep is very hardy and is well suited to the harsh climate and terrain. Its primary characteristic is its wool production, but it nevertheless also has meat and milk producing qualities which make it profitable enough if the difficult habitat in which it lives is taken into account. The quantity of milk it produces is small, but high in protein and fat.

It is a small sheep, the females weighing between 40 kg and 45 kg and the males between 55 kg and 65 kg. Its long legs are well suited to travelling long distances in search of food (although the sheep now leave the farms only at certain times of the year, in the past they used to go on an annual migration). The breed has an 85 % fecundity rate and an 80 % fertility rate. It usually lambs once a year, although it will tend to lamb three times over 2 years.

(b)   Processing

The cheese is obtained by means of enzymatic coagulation of the milk using a vegetable coagulant (Cynara cardunculus), usually at a temperature of below 30 °C.

As a result of these two factors, i.e. the moderate temperature and the use of a coagulant with a low coagulation capacity, a long coagulation time is needed and the curds are quite soft. Consequently, proteolytic activity is higher, producing a cheese with a less consistent texture.

Twenty days after moulding, the cheeses usually undergo a phenomenon known as ‘atortado’, during which the paste becomes fluid and the cheeses have to be handled with care to prevent the rind breaking and running into the paste.

5.4.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality and characteristics of the product.

Firstly, the pastures in the district of La Serena extend over 300 000 ha almost entirely bereft of trees and thus grow without competition from any plants. This means the pastures obtain all of the nutrients in the soil and, consequently, have high nutritional values, making them ideal for livestock feed. Secondly, the Merino sheep, which are best adapted to the extreme climate and relief of La Serena, produce a small quantity of milk, but one which is rich in fat and protein.

This centuries-old and irreplaceable combination makes milk from the Merino sheep grazed on La Serena pastures ideal for the production of ‘Queso de la Serena’, giving it its special and genuine characteristics.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

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

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(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

(2)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

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