19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/1

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Euro exchange rates (1)

18 February 2010

2010/C 42/01

1 euro =

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,3567
JPY	Japanese yen	123,30
DKK	Danish krone	7,4432
GBP	Pound sterling	0,87040
SEK	Swedish krona	9,7913
CHF	Swiss franc	1,4651
ISK	Iceland króna
NOK	Norwegian krone	8,0680
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CZK	Czech koruna	25,720
EEK	Estonian kroon	15,6466
HUF	Hungarian forint	271,18
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,4528
LVL	Latvian lats	0,7090
PLN	Polish zloty	4,0008
RON	Romanian leu	4,1351
TRY	Turkish lira	2,0633
AUD	Australian dollar	1,5115
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,4177
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	10,5364
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,9358
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,9102
KRW	South Korean won	1 560,70
ZAR	South African rand	10,3581
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	9,2703
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,2890
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	12 638,17
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,6138
PHP	Philippine peso	62,641
RUB	Russian rouble	40,8190
THB	Thai baht	45,009
BRL	Brazilian real	2,4886
MXN	Mexican peso	17,4548
INR	Indian rupee	62,7810

---

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

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19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/2

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case COMP/M.5760 — Lotte Group/Artenius UK Limited)

(Text with EEA relevance)

2010/C 42/02

1.

On 12 February 2010, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertaking Lotte Chemical UK Limited, a special purpose vehicle owned by KP Chemical Corporation (part of the Lotte Group, Korea), will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the EC Merger Regulation control of the whole of Artenius UK Limited (in administration) by way of purchase of assets from Artenius UK Limited acting through its administrators.

2.	The business activities of the undertakings concerned are: — for Artenius UK Limited: manufacture and sale of Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) resin, — for KP Chemical Corporation: manufacture and sale of petrochemicals.

3.	On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope the EC Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number COMP/M.5760 — Lotte Group/Artenius UK Limited, to the following address: European Commission Directorate-General for Competition Merger Registry J-70 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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

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19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/3

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 42/03

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ŚLIWKA SZYDŁOWSKA’

EC No: PL-PGI-0005-0634-23.07.2007

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Śliwka szydłowska’

2.   Member State or third country:

Poland

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product:

Category

:

Class 1.6 — Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

‘Śliwka szydłowska’ is an unpitted or pitted prune which has undergone the process of drying and smoking.

The prune’s shape depends on the variety and may range from oblate to prolate. The fruit is characterised by its even, elastic flesh and has a very pure and very intense taste and smoked aroma. The prune is also characterised by its very wrinkled but shiny skin with a dark blue sheen.

The size of ‘śliwka szydłowska’ depends on the variety of the plum used and the weight ranges from 50 to 160 prunes per kg of fruit. The water content in the finished product is between 35 and 45 %.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

Only cultivars of the blue plum (Prunus domestica L. ssp domestica) and its derivatives are used for the production of ‘śliwka szydłowska’: Stanley, Amers, Węgierka Dąbrowicka, Empress, Oneida, Jojo, Top, Valjevka, President and Damacha. The fruit of these varieties have desirable characteristics for drying and smoking, including a high sugar content and a relatively low water content.

Only fruits which are ripe and ready for consumption are harvested and used for the production of ‘śliwka szydłowska’. The fruit must be healthy, without signs of rotting or mechanical damage and it must be free of visible damage by insects, mites or other pests. The fruit used must be free of any other damage, impurities or other unspecified organisms which would make it unfit for consumption.

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

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

The drying units in which the entire drying and smoking process takes place must be located in the geographical area indicated at point 4. Production is permitted only in special traditional Szydłów drying units. The wood used in the production process comes from oak, hornbeam, beech or fruit trees. The use of other types of wood is permitted but resinous wood (from conifers) is strictly forbidden.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

—

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

—

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The production area for ‘śliwka szydłowska’ covers the municipality of Szydłów (108 km2), which is situated in the district of Staszów, in Świętokrzyskie voivodship.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The area of production of ‘śliwka szydłowska’ is confined to the municipality of Szydłów. This area is characterised by poor soils which are, however, very rich in lime (Miocene limestone). The average annual precipitation in this area is usually 500-700 mm. A low level of precipitation in the summer months is also characteristic of the area, as is a relatively high amount of sunshine. The length of the vegetation period ranges from 200 to 215 days. Plums are grown on about 80 % of all land used for fruit cultivation in this area. Plum orchards occupy around 900 ha.

Local producers have easy access to the raw materials and have devised a way of processing them in special drying facilities. Characteristic drying units designed and built by the local people in a style adapted to their unique skills form an integral part of the landscape in the municipality of Szydłów. There are around 400 specific drying units in the area identified at point 4. Considering that the area in question covers 108 km2 and had a population of 5 118 in 2004, there was on average one drying unit for every 13 inhabitants that year and 3,7 drying units per km2. This is undeniable proof of the very close link the product has to the given area and bears witness to the skills of local producers.

Only drying units in which the plums can be smoked and dried using smoke and hot air, and not hot air alone, are used for the production of ‘śliwka szydłowska’. The drying unit is a building, the size of which depends on the producer’s individual needs (as regards the number and size of trays). The doors open to reveal vertical racks supporting openwork trays known as ‘laski’, which can be slid out like drawers. These trays are made of wood. The lowest tray is about 50 cm from the bottom of the oven, which is below ground level. A drying unit may not be more than 3 metres high. The building includes a special table for sorting the plums.

The fruit is laid out on the trays by hand. It should be arranged in such a way as to allow the air and smoke to reach each plum easily. Depending on the size of the fruit, different numbers of layers of plums are placed onto the various trays. A layer may not be more than 12 cm thick.

The plums are dried and smoked by means of hot air and the smoke from hardwood burned in an oven under the trays. The mixture of hot air and smoke passes through the trays and the fruit lying on them. Gravitational air and smoke circulation is used to that effect. The temperature in the drying unit ranges from 45 to 90 °C, depending on the amount and calorific value of wood put into the oven. The temperature is highest at the bottom and lowest in the middle part of the drying unit due to the gravitational air circulation. The entire drying and smoking process takes about 48 hours on average, but this time may vary according to the size of the fruit, the temperature maintained in the drying units and external atmospheric factors, notably temperature and humidity.

The evenly dried and smoked fruit is collected from the trays. The fruit is collected and sorted by hand. Each producer checks (by means of an organoleptic analysis) if the prunes satisfy the criteria laid down in the product description and if they are adequately dried and smoked. Each prune is checked individually. Fruits that satisfy the requirements are then collected, the rest is put back into the drying unit.

Local producers’ skills are related, among other things, to a knowledge of how to select plums of the correct quality as a raw material for drying, as well as to the smoke-drying process itself. In the smoke-drying process, important local skills influencing the quality of the final product are as follows: the skill of arranging the plums on trays so that the hot air and smoke can reach each plum, the sorting and turning of the plums on the trays by hand, at least twice a day, ensuring that trays are placed at the correct distance from the oven, the determination on a daily basis of the smoking and drying time and the temperature in the drying units depending on the size of the fruit and the extent of smoking and drying required, as well as an individual organoleptic check on each plum to guarantee that the correct quality, characteristics and level of smoking and drying have been achieved.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

‘Śliwka szydłowska’ typically has flesh of an even, elastic consistency which is dried and smoked evenly throughout and has a very intense and easily identifiable smoky taste and aroma. The prune is also characterised by its very wrinkled but shiny skin with a dark-blue sheen. ‘Śliwka szydłowska’ has a high water content of between 35 and 45 % at the time of sale. The fact that the plums are arranged in a layer no more than 12 cm thick on each tray and that they are turned by hand several times every day means that the warm air and smoke reach each plum in equal measure, thus guaranteeing that they are both smoked and dried and acquire the specific characteristics of ‘śliwka szydłowska’.

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

The link which ‘śliwka szydłowska’ has to the region is based on its exceptional quality, which is the result of the unique skills of local producers, and on its reputation which is built on a long production tradition.

The unique skills of local producers and the traditional methods of production they use are factors which ensure the high quality of ‘śliwka szydłowska’. The design of the drying units and the method of drying used are derived from the expertise of local producers. The skills and know-how of the local producers differ significantly from the methods used in other parts of Poland and in the neighbouring regions.

The design of the drying units ensures that air and smoke circulate simultaneously, thereby drying and smoking the plums. Changing the position of trays in the drying units, determining the correct temperature and drying time for ‘śliwka szydłowska’ guarantee that the correct quality, characteristics and level of smoking and drying is achieved. This unique local expertise is not found in other regions.

The reputation enjoyed by ‘śliwka szydłowska’ is connected with a long tradition of producing the prunes. The history of plum-drying and smoking in Szydłów goes back to at least before the Second World War, as has been proven by ethnographic research carried out in the Szydłów municipality. According to the results of this research, plum-drying in this area has a history dating back some 80 years. In a reprint of a press article entitled ‘Szansa dla miasteczka’ published in Słowo Ludu on 25 November 1988, we can find information about ‘śliwka szydłowska’ production and about the purchasing problems associated with it. The scale of production in earlier years is shown by invoices issued by various purchasing centres in 1964 and 1967. ‘Śliwka szydłowska’ production currently stands at about 800 tonnes a year.

Press articles published in Echo Dnia – Echo Powiśla on 25 August 2006, in Gazeta Wyborcza – Kielce on 26 July 2007, and in issue No 10 of the magazine Hasło Ogrodnicze in 2005, bear witness to the reputation enjoyed by the product. ‘Śliwka szydłowska’ is also recommended at the website http://www.potrawyregionalne.pl (‘Sezon na śliwki’).

The product’s good reputation is also reflected in the fact that it was awarded a ‘Perła’ prize in 2005.

A special event lasting several days and promoting the product has been organised in Szydłów for 10 years now — the ‘Święto Śliwki’ (Plum Festival). One of the attractions at the festival is a demonstration of plum-drying using the special, traditional trays typical of Szydłów. This demonstration is clearly indicated on the posters promoting the festival.

Reference to publication of the specification:

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

http://www.minrol.gov.pl/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabOrgId=1620&LangId=0

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(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

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19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/7

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 42/04

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘JABŁKA ŁĄCKIE’

EC No: PL-PGI-0005-0617-05.07.2007

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Jabłka łąckie’

2.   Member State or third country:

Poland

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product (as in Annex II):

Class 1.6:

Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

1.

Apples of the following varieties may be sold under the protected name ‘jabłka łąckie’: Characteristics of ‘jabłka łąckie’   Variety Skin colour Blush (colour and surface) Average acidity (g/kg) Refracto-metric extract (Brix) Minimum firmness (kg/cm2) Extra class Class I 1 IDARED and sports yellow-green red > 55 % red > 35 % 6,3 > 10,5 5 2 JONAGOLD and sports yellow-green bright to deep red > 40 % bright to deep red > 18 % 4,8 > 10,5 5 3 CHAMPION and sports yellow-green faint pink stripes > 54 % faint pink stripes > 33,3 % 5,1 > 9,5 4,5 4 LIGOL and sports yellow-green faint red stripes > 56 % faint red stripes > 38 % 6,0 > 9,5 5 5 GOLDEN DELICIOUS and sports green-yellow pink > 25 % pink > 10 % 5,2 > 10,5 5 6 GALA and sports bright green-yellow red > 40 % red > 20 % 3,7 > 10,5 5 7 BOSKOOP green-grey-yellow grey-red > 25 % grey-red > 10 % 12,0 > 11 5 8 RED BOSKOOP green-grey-yellow red > 55 % red > 37 % 12,0 > 11 5 9 ELISE green-yellow red > 75 % red > 53 % 7,5 > 10,5 5,5 10 EARLY GENEVA green-yellow red > 40 % red > 10 % 9,2 > 9,5 4,5 11 TOPAZ green-yellow red > 56 % red > 34 % 9,0 > 10,5 5 12 LOBO green-yellow red > 53 % red > 36 % 5,2 > 10,5 4,5 13 RUBIN and sports green-yellow bright red stripes > 40 % bright red stripes > 17 % 6,9 > 11 5 14 GLOSTER green-yellow dark red > 59 % dark red > 38 % 5,9 > 10,5 5,5 15 JONAGORED and sports yellow-green dark red > 75 % dark red > 54 % 4,9 > 10,5 5

2.	The external appearance of the fruits depends on the characteristics of the variety in question. The basic colour is characteristic of the variety in question and the blush is clearly more intense than average. Some varieties have a waxy bloom. The fruits have a tendency to develop russeting.

3.	‘Jabłka łąckie’ must belong to the quality categories Extra or I.

4.	The firmness of the flesh is not less than 6,5 kg/cm2 at the time of picking, and not less than 4,5 kg/cm2 at the end of the apple’s storage period.

5.	A typical characteristic of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is their relatively high acidity (3,7-12,0 g/kg). As a result, ‘jabłka łąckie’ are said to have a ‘mountain-green note’ or, in other words, they have a distinctive taste, and are tart and aromatic.

6.	The refractometric extract ranges from 9 to 16 °Bx.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

—

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

—

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

According to the specification, orchards where ‘jabłka łąckie’ are grown must be located in the geographical area defined in section 4. The following steps in production must also take place in this area:

—

pruning,

—	fertilising,

—

watering,

—

tending,

—	storage (until time of packaging).

All production steps are carried out in accordance with the legislation laying down the principles of the Integrated Production (IP) system.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

None

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

All producers and enterprises packaging ‘jabłka łąckie’ are required to use a standard label. Labels will be distributed by the ‘Stowarzyszenie Łącka Droga Owocowa’. This association forwards detailed rules on the distribution of the labels to the inspection body. These rules may not in any way discriminate against producers who do not belong to the association.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

‘Jabłka łąckie’ are produced in the municipalities of Łącko, Podegrodzie and Stary Sącz (which are in the Nowy Sącz district) and Łukowica (which is in the Limanowa district) in the Lesser Poland (Małopolskie) voivodship.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The area in which ‘jabłka łąckie’ are grown is situated in the Kotlina Łącka (Łącko Basin). It is bounded to the east by the Jazowski mountain range, through which the River Dunajec flows into the wide intermontane Sącz Basin. Given the mountainous location, the climate in the designated area is mild and favours plant production, offering especially good conditions for fruit farming.

The soils in the region are compact, non-skeletal (less than 10 % skeletal) or slightly skeletal (10-25 %). This enables the trees to take root better without significantly disturbing oxygen or water profiles. Since the soils are generally very compact, the sloping land creates favourable conditions for planting fruit trees. The slope of the land (most orchards are located on slopes with a gradient of between 5 and 15°) means that excess water can drain away periodically. Excess amounts of water in the compact soil would be detrimental to the water profiles and influence the development of fungal diseases. The average annual total precipitation ranges from 700 to 1 000 mm. The large difference between day-time and night-time temperatures is a key feature of the Łącko region. The daily temperature range during the period of the fruit's ripening and harvesting often exceeds 10 °C. Night-time frost is also very frequent.

The skills honed by local people over the centuries and their characteristic temperament played an important part in developing fruit farming in the area. People who have travelled to and observed this region throughout the different periods of history have underlined the acuity, perceptiveness, obstinacy and patience of its inhabitants (known as ‘White Highlanders’). Such traits are important for developing the economic sector in question. It should also be stressed that, in an effort to achieve higher quality and to disturb the natural environment as little as possible, local fruit-farmers have introduced the integrated production (IP) system. Under this system, local fruit growers are required to adapt their production methods to the climate and soil conditions prevailing in the area defined in section 4. The aim of this is to preserve specific quality-related properties of ‘jabłka łąckie’.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

‘Jabłka łąckie’ are characterised by:

—	a blush which is more intense than the average for a given variety (see section 3.2),

—	the firmness of their flesh, which is not less than 6,5 kg/cm2 at the time of picking and not less than 4,5 kg/cm2 at the end of the apple’s storage period,

—	a refractometric extract ranging from 9 to 16 °Bx,

—

a high total acidity (tart ‘jabłka łąckie’ (over 7 g/kg): Boskoop, Red Boskoop, Elise, Topaz, Early Geneva; medium-acidity ‘jabłka łąckie’ (3,7-7,0 g/kg): Idared and sports, Jonagold and sports, Champion and sports, Ligol and sports, Golden Delicious and sports, Gala and sports, Lobo, Rubin and sports, Gloster, Jonagored and sports), which is why ‘jabłka łąckie’ are said to have a ‘mountain-green note’ or, in other words, they are distinctly tart and aromatic.

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

The link between ‘jabłka łąckie’ and the geographical area indicated in section 4 is derived from the specific quality-related characteristics described in section 5.2 which are the result of the natural factors described in section 5.1.1 and the reputation which the apples enjoy.

The big differences in the day-time and night-time temperatures have a positive influence on the organoleptic, physico-chemical properties of the fruit, and in particular on the extent of the blush and the acidity of the apples. The exceptional nature of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is also confirmed by sensory analyses. These analyses confirm that the fruit is distinguished by the more pronounced intensity of the above characteristics, including its firmness, compared with apples from other geographical areas. The firmness of the fruit when it is harvested and after correct storage guarantees the crunchiness of ‘jabłka łąckie’.

‘Jabłka łąckie’ have developed a reputation on the strength of a long-standing tradition of production, as attested by the fact that, as far back as the 13th century, fresh plums and apples were carried from the Łącko area to Gdansk (W. Bazelich, ‘Historie starosądeckie’, Kraków 1965, p. 173). Orchards in the Łącko area are referred to in 16th-century documents as ‘manor gardens’ and ‘parish gardens’. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were already large orchards in these areas. Manorial records of an inspection conducted in 1698 report among other things that some peasants were obliged to gather fruit and deliver it to the manor as part of their corvée.

A festival called ‘Dni Kwitnącej Jabłoni’ (the Apple Blossom Festival) has been held since 1947. This festival was born out of a desire to defend the fruit-farming tradition in Łącko against a plan to build a dam on the River Dunajec and flood the town. Since that time, the festival has been celebrated every year in May and is still as popular as ever. Regional groups, brass bands and well-known Polish performers take part at this event. The stalls and displays (with fruit, culinary treats, works by folk artists, etc.) are also impressive. Information about the Apple Blossom Festival is published in the press. During the festival, not only tourists from throughout Poland but also scientists and academics from agricultural institutes and universities visit Łącko. All of this shows just how very important this economic sector is for the local population.

The reputation of ‘jabłka łąckie’ is also borne out by media broadcasts, for instance reports shown on Telewizja Polska’s ‘Tydzień’ programme (2007) and on Telewizja Trwam and Telewizja Polonia. Reports have been broadcast on Radio Kraków. They include ‘Forum Ekonomiczne w Krynicy’ (2006), ‘Owocobranie’ (2006, 2007), ‘Święto Kwitnącej Jabłoni’ (2008). Articles on the product have also been published in the press: ‘Jabłka łąckie produktem regionalnym’ (Hasło Ogrodnicze, 2005), ‘Trzy pytania do …’ (‘Dziennik Polski’, 6 July 2007), ‘Małopolski festiwal smaku’ (the weekly ‘Extra’, 17 July 2008), ‘Krapik tygrysem Europy’ (‘Dziennik Polski’, 30 July 2007), ‘Łącka Droga Owocowa’ (‘Nasz Dziennik’, 2 August 2007), ‘Owoc pod ochroną’ (‘Tarnowski Gość Niedzielny’).

The growth in the reputation of ‘jabłka łąckie’ over the years has been influential in increasing supplies of the apples. The great importance of apples for the area indicated in section 4 is also borne out by the fact that around 80 % of the total farming area is indeed used for cultivating apple trees. In the area in question, a total of 3 000 ha is taken up by apple orchards. The municipality of Łącko accounts for 50 %, the municipality of Stary Sącz for 15 %, the municipality of Podegrodzie for 18,3 % and the municipality of Łukowica for 16,7 % of the orchards in this area.

‘Jabłka łąckie’ took first prize in the plant products and preparations category at the Seventh Nationwide ‘Our Culinary Heritage’ Competition for the best food product from Lesser Poland.

Reference to publication of the specification:

http://www.minrol.gov.pl/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabOrgId=1620&LangId=0

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(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

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19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/12

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Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 42/05

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘LAPIN PORON KUIVALIHA’

EC No: FI-PDO-0005-0384-19.10.2004

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:

Name:	Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)
Address:	PL 30 FI-00023 Valtioneuvosto SUOMI/FINLAND
Tel.	+358 916054278
Fax	+358 916053400
E-mail:	maija.heinonen@mmm.fi

2.   Group:

Name:	Paliskuntain yhdistys (Reindeer Herders’ Association)
Address:	Koskikatu 33 A FI-96100 Rovaniemi SUOMI/FINLAND
Tel.	+358 163316000
Fax	+358 163316060
E-mail:	Matti.Sarkela@paliskunnat.fi
Composition:	Producers/processors ( X ) other ( )

3.   Type of product:

Class 1.2:

Meat products (cooked, salted, smoked)

4.   Specification:

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1.   Name:

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’

4.2.   Description:

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ (dried Lapland reindeer meat) is made from whole muscle (muscle groups) and pieces of muscle. The connective tissues between the muscles are visible, but hardly any fat can be seen in them with the naked eye. The meat is very fine-grained and dense, and the fibres cannot be distinguished on the cut surface. It is finer-grained than other dried meats. Depending on the dryness of the product, the structure of the cut surface is dull matt and smooth. The cut surface is darker than in other types of meat; a brown tinge is another distinguishing feature.

The finished products are different-shaped pieces or slices 1-5 cm thick and 10-20 cm long. The weight ranges from one hundred to a few hundred grams.

Due to the drying, ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ has a low water content and very high protein content. It has a low fat content, taking into account the fact that it has been dried. The pH value is normal for meat. The protein content of the connective tissues is relatively low. The salt content has to be sufficiently high to ensure that it can be preserved safely. The average values and standard deviations for five typical samples are listed below:

Water content (%): 40,6 (2,8)

Protein content (%): 43,6 (2,3)

of which in connective tissue (%): 3,1 (0,9)

Fat content (%): 4,7 (1,6)

Salt content (%): 5,4 (2,0)

pH value: 5,69 (0,19)

The dried meat has a relatively strong flavour. It has the typical strong aroma of reindeer meat, in both taste and smell. The aroma is not particularly gamey, but typical of reindeer. The salty taste is typically light due to the particularly high protein content. The colour varies from dark red and brown to almost black. The edges are darker due to the drying.

The structure is hard on the surface and softer inside. The product contains connective tissues between the muscles, which are felt on the palate, but the internal connective tissue is not. Although the product is soft inside, it does not separate easily when bent, but does separate when chewed, and the effect is delicate and not stringy. The ease with which it separates is a characteristic feature, and the connective tissues between the muscles also separate easily and are easy to swallow.

4.3.   Geographical area:

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is produced, processed and packed in the Finnish reindeer husbandry area, which is located between latitudes 65 °N and 70 °N. Under the Finnish Reindeer Husbandry Act (No 848/1990), the area includes the Province of Lapland (excluding the cities of Kemi and Tornio and the municipality of Keminmaa), the municipalities of Hyrynsalmi, Kuivaniemi, Kuusamo, Pudasjärvi, Suomussalmi, Taivalkoski and Yli-Ii in the Province of Oulu, and the areas north of the River Kiiminkijoki and the Puolanka-Hyrynsalmi road in the municipalities of Puolanka, Utajärvi and Ylikiiminki.

4.4.   Proof of origin:

Under Finnish reindeer husbandry legislation, to monitor the meat's origin, a reindeer owner ear-tags the animal either immediately after its birth or at least no later than its arrival for slaughter. When the reindeer have been sorted for slaughter and separated from those animals to be kept alive, they are marked during sorting on the pastureland with a slaughter tag attached to the ear, so giving a number to the slaughter animal. The number stays with the carcase until cutting. Cut meats are given a cutting and processing batch number, which follows the product as far as the consumer. Meat cutting rooms and meat product plants must record the carcases and other meat entering the establishment as well as the meat sent out from it. Meat cutting rooms and meat product plants are supervised by the municipal supervisory authorities. Moreover, the sale of dried reindeer meat direct to the consumer from the place of primary production is permitted (EU Commission derogation of 21 April 2006).

Monitoring of the entire production chain is carried out by the Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira) and the provincial governments under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The monitoring is carried out by the local food authorities.

4.5.   Method of production:

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is produced from reindeer that are born, raised and slaughtered in the Finnish reindeer husbandry area and graze freely on natural pastures during the spring, summer, autumn and early winter before slaughter. During this period, they obtain nearly all their feed from natural sources in the defined geographical area. They feed principally on grasses, fungi and lichens. About 70-75 % of the slaughter animals are calves aged five to eight months, with a slaughter weight of about 22 kg. The average weight of the slaughtered adult female reindeer is about 35 kg, and the slaughter weight of the largest male reindeer can be 70-80 kg.

The raw material used for ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is fillet, topside, shoulder, back, side and belly cuts, which are mainly from P0-type meat, the basic type used for dried meat (the letter stands for ‘reindeer’ in Finnish and the number for the classification). PE-type — or ‘extra’ — meat (e.g. topside and fillet) can also be used, as can P1-type meat (e.g. neck, side and belly cuts) to some extent. The differences in the properties and intended use of the meat types for sale are shown in the Reindeer Herders’ Association reindeer meat classification (2005) drawn up for the reindeer industry. The differences in the types are based on the fat and membrane content of the meat.

Surface and cavity fat, thick connective tissue membranes and any clotted blood and stamps are removed from the reindeer meat to be used as a raw material for ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’. Product preparation begins by cutting and usually boning tougher meats, topsides, chucks, fillets and cervical muscle. The boned meat is cut into shapes around 5 cm thick in different sizes for preparation. Other parts of the carcase are left with the bone in and also cut into appropriate-sized shapes for preparation.

The meat is processed as quickly as possible and in small batches to prevent it from warming up too much. In approved cutting plants, the temperature of the meat during cutting may not exceed + 7 °C.

The meat is salted in meat salting tubs or on salting racks. Salting may be done by rubbing, in which case the amount of salt is about 3 % of the fresh meat weight. If the meat is salted in brine, the salt content of the water is about 6 % or 7 %. Salting and pre-maturation takes between 3 and 14 days.

After salting, the meat is hung up for air-drying outside. Drying takes place at a sufficient height above the ground in a covered space built or designated for the drying of meat, which vermin are prevented from entering by sufficiently solid flooring and netting. Clean hooks of metal or other non-porous material, such as plastic rope, are used for hanging the meat on the drying beam.

The drying is done in February-April and lasts three to six weeks, depending on weather conditions. As the meat tenderises and matures it becomes highly flavoured through the evaporation of 40-60 % of its fresh meat weight. The preparation of the meat is monitored by repeatedly checking the degree of dryness and tasting the meat. If the meat is kept drying for too long time, it turns grey in colour and becomes tasteless.

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ products are packed in approved food packaging whose size varies from one hundred grams to several hundred grams.

The reindeer meat to which the ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ designation will be applied must be packed in the defined geographical area, i.e. the Finnish reindeer husbandry area, in order to safeguard product quality and prevent deterioration of quality, especially of the organoleptic characteristics. Drying takes place outdoors and as a result of meteorological conditions (wind, frost, heat of the sun). The drying process is monitored carefully in order to attain the right degree of maturity and to retain the organoleptic characteristics of the meat. A crucial factor in the production of ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is determining the right time to remove the meat from air-drying outside. This requires the specific skills of the area's experts. Even though ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is lean, the fat may alter the taste and organoleptic characteristics of the meat if it is processed in the wrong manner or comes into extended contact with the air. Furthermore, the objective is to ensure the complete traceability of the product, that consumers are not misled, that the product they are offered has actually been obtained and prepared in the region of origin and that monitoring is made possible throughout the production chain.

4.6.   Link with geographical origin:

The reindeer meat is produced by professional reindeer herders living in the Finnish reindeer husbandry area, nearly 20 % of whom are Sámi, a native people of the European Union. The work of the reindeer herders is based on information collected over the centuries on reindeer and its meat. The oldest information on dried meat is found in 16th century account books and in the descriptions of Finland contained in the History of the Northern Peoples by Olaus Magnus, a book dating from 1555. After him, the earliest references to dried reindeer meat are mainly from explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The reindeer meat is dried using traditional skills; for example, most reindeer meat processing plants are owned by reindeer-owning families. All of the above reindeer meat processors form a unique network of expertise in the reindeer husbandry area, with the skills and capacity to process into ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ some of the reindeer meat produced in the reindeer husbandry area using traditional methods.

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ is air-dried outside according to centuries-old traditional methods. Drying takes place in February-April at a sufficient height above the ground in a covered space built or designated for the drying of meat, which vermin are prevented from entering by sufficiently solid flooring and netting. The preparation of dried reindeer meat is successful only in the northern regions, where temperature variations in late winter are sufficiently great. The significant late-winter temperature fluctuations in northern climes, from – 30 °C to + 7 °C, tenderise the meat and give it a natural flavour. Other natural characteristics of the region, such as distinct seasons, the reindeer diet and the traditional skills for selecting and preparing raw material for reindeer meat make dried reindeer meat what it is: a reindeer product with its own distinctive flavour.

4.7.   Inspection body:

Name:	The Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira)
Address:	Mustialankatu 3 FI-00790 Helsinki SUOMI/FINLAND
Tel.	+358 20772003
Fax	+358 207724350
E-mail:	kirjaamo@evira.fi

4.8.   Labelling:

‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ products are stored or sold packed in approved food packaging of different sizes. The outer surface of the packs is marked with the ‘Lapin Poron kuivaliha’ mark (e.g. a stamp or sticker) followed by the words ‘suojattu alkuperänimitys’ (protected designation of origin) or the corresponding official Community symbol. Whether the meat has come from an adult animal or a calf is also indicated. Similar markings are required for meat sold direct.

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(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

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19.2.2010

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 42/16

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Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2010/C 42/06

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months of the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘VASTEDDA DELLA VALLE DEL BELÌCE’

EC No: IT-PDO-0005-0661-26.11.2007

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Name:

‘Vastedda della valle del Belìce’

2.   Member State or Third Country:

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product (Annex III):

Class 1.3.

Cheeses

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

Vastedda della valle del Belìce PDO cheese is made from kneaded sheep's milk curd, which is consumed in its fresh state and when put up for consumption has the following characteristics: the typical round loaf shape with slightly convex sides; between 15 and 17 cm in diameter and between 3 and 4 cm thick; between 500 and 700 g in weight, depending on its size; the surface of the cheese is rindless, matt white, compact and smooth without spots or creases; a light straw-coloured patina is allowed; the curd is of an even whiteness, not grainy but with possible light striations as a result of the traditional kneading method; there must be no, or very few, holes and any ‘sweating’ must be very limited; the aroma is characteristic of fresh sheep’s milk, the flavour is mild, fresh and pleasant with slight acidity in the veins; the fat content is at least 35 % of dry matter and 18 % of the fresh product; the sodium chloride (salt) content may not exceed 5 % of dry matter or 2,7 % of the fresh product.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

Vastedda della valle del Belìce PDO cheese is made from the raw, whole milk, with natural acidity from fermentation, of sheep of the Valle del Belìce breed from farms in the production area referred to in point 4 below.

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only):

The sheep are fed on natural and/or cultivated pasture land, with fresh fodder, hay and straw from the production area referred to in point 4, wheat stubble and by-products of vegetable cultivation (grass growing alongside rows of vines, offcuts from olive trees kept in pots for the winter, prickly pear (cactus) cladodes, vine leaves left after the grape harvest). This may be supplemented, in quantities not exceeding 50 % of the total dry matter of the sheep's feed, with cereal grain, legumes and simple or complex non-GMO concentrates. The feed may not include products of animal origin or trigonella, tapioca and manioc plants or parts of plants (seeds).

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

The milk and cheese must be produced in the identified area.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.:

The product is put up for consumption in units of between 15 and 17 cm in diameter and between 3 and 4 cm thick, wrapped in airtight polyethylene. As it is a fresh product, the cheese must be packaged at the point of production in order to ensure quality and in particular to preserve its microbiological features, including the inherent lactic bacteria that make it a ‘live’ product that is constantly changing.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling:

The labels on the polyethylene outer wrapping of the cheese must feature the logo for the PDO product and the words ‘Vastedda della valle del Belìce’. The logo may be used in promotional material and publications.

There may be references to names, trade names and brands that do not have promotional content and are not liable to mislead consumers, provided these are significantly smaller than the product logo.

The logo is a circle around which, from left to right, run the words ‘Vastedda della valle del Belìce’ on one line in dark green; inside the circle, at the bottom, appear from left to right, on one line and in white, the words ‘Denominazione d'Origine Protetta’ (Protected Designation of Origin).

Inside the logo, in the upper part of the circle, there is a stylised bright yellow sun with a sharp outline, from the centre of which stands detached a V-shape or ‘slice’, as it were; the sun is surrounded by 11 yellow rays radiating from the centre; this is all against a background of blue sky.

Below this, in the central part of the logo, the intersection of two green hills produces a letter V which is accentuated by additional light-green strokes.

On the right there is a partial representation, sketched in yellow, of a Doric temple on two steps and with four columns, on the upper capitals of which rest the architrave and the sloped roof. The logo, including the wording ‘Vastedda della valle del Belìce’, must be 4 cm in diameter.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The geographical area for rearing the sheep, producing the milk, and processing and packaging the cheese lies within the administrative territory of the following municipalities:

in the province of Agrigento: Caltabellotta, Menfi, Montevago, Sambuca di Sicilia, Santa Margherita di Belìce and Sciacca;

in the province of Trapani: Calatafimi, Campobello di Mazara, Castelvetrano, Gibellina, Partanna, Poggioreale, Salaparuta, Salemi, Santa Ninfa and Vita;

in the province of Palermo: Contessa Entellina and Bisacquino (the ‘San Biagio’ area only).

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

The land in the area where Vastedda della valle del Belìce cheese is produced is characterised by dark limy soils, lithosols, regosols and vertisoils, and by natural and cultivated pasture rich in wild plants and local ecotypes, the vegetation of which is made up of the legumes, grasses and cress that form the animals’ staple diet and have been shown by various scientific studies to play a role in cheese-making in terms of altering the chemical and aromatic composition of the cheese.

The climate in the production area differs from that in other parts of Sicily, with maximum and minimum temperatures (35 °C and 9 °C respectively in the Valle del Belìce) and a particular type of terrain that mean it is not exposed to rapid changes in the weather that could interact with the indigenous dairy microflora that is typical of Vastedda della valle del Belìce cheese.

Vastedda cheese has always been made in the Valle del Belìce from the milk of the indigenous sheep, now referred to as the Valle del Belìce breed and renowned for producing good milk for cheese-making.

Vastedda della valle del Belìce cheese is inextricably linked to the particular soil conditions in the area, the local fodder crops, the master cheese-makers’ typical milk-processing techniques and the use of old wooden and cane equipment that harbours the indigenous dairy microflora that set Vastedda della valle del Belìce apart from other similar cheeses.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

While not the only one, Vastedda valle del Belìce is certainly one of very few kneaded-curd sheep's cheeses. It has the typical taste of fresh sheep's cheese, slightly tangy but never too sharp. It is compact and white with some striations from the traditional kneading method and has a typical round loaf shape with slightly convex sides.

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 tradition of sheep-rearing and cheese-making in the production area goes back a very long time; traditional methods of sheep-rearing are still used today, using folds that provide the kind of shelter necessary for the animals’ well-being, which in turn improves the quality of the milk used to produce Vastedda della valle del Belìce cheese. The mix of vegetation on the natural and cultivated pastures influences the chemical and aromatic composition of the milk and gives the cheese its particular taste and smell. Key factors determining the taste and final aroma of the product are the traditional method of preparing the rennet, which lends the cheese its particular enzymatic ‘DNA’, and the acidification of the curd in cane cheese-sieves made exclusively from a natural microflora that is typical of the area.

Also, the genuine traditional kneading method requires particular skill given that sheep's milk is not well suited to being processed into kneaded-curd cheese.

The name Vastedda comes from the ‘round loaf’ shape that the cheese takes on after kneading, when it is left to set in deep ceramic dishes, or vastedde.

Reference to publication of the specification:

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal for recognising ‘Vastedda della Valle del Belìce’ as a PDO in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 239 of 13 October 2007.

The full text of the product specification is available by clicking on the following link:

http://www.politicheagricole.it/DocumentiPubblicazioni/Search_Documenti_Elenco.htm?txtTipoDocumento=Disciplinare%20in%20esame%20UE&txtDocArgomento=Prodotti%20di%20Qualit%E0>Prodotti%20Dop,%20Igp%20e%20Stg

or

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry (http://www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Prodotti di Qualità’ (on the left of the screen) and then ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE [regolamento (CE) n. 510/2006]’.

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(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

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