# Official Journal C 6/2015

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 6 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 5810 January 2015 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 6

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 5810 January 2015

---

| Notice No | Contents | page |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | II   Information |
| | INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | European Commission |
| 2015/C 006/01 | Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.7463 — CVC/Betafence) (
  1
  ) | 1 |

Notice No

Contents

page

II   Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2015/C 006/01

Non-opposition to a notified concentration (Case M.7463 — CVC/Betafence) (
  1
  )

1

1

| | IV   Notices |
| --- | --- |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | Council |
| 2015/C 006/02 | Notice for the attention of the persons subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2011/72/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia | 2 |
| 2015/C 006/03 | Notice for the attention of the data subjects to whom the restrictive measures provided for in Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia apply | 3 |
| | European Commission |
| 2015/C 006/04 | Euro exchange rates | 4 |

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

2015/C 006/02

Notice for the attention of the persons subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2011/72/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia

2

2015/C 006/03

Notice for the attention of the data subjects to whom the restrictive measures provided for in Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia apply

3

European Commission

2015/C 006/04

Euro exchange rates

4

| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY |
| | European Commission |
| 2015/C 006/05 | Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7469 — Itochu/Hitachi Construction Machinery/Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia/JV) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (
  1
  ) | 5 |
| | OTHER ACTS |
| | European Commission |
| 2015/C 006/06 | Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs | 6 |

V   Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

2015/C 006/05

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.7469 — Itochu/Hitachi Construction Machinery/Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia/JV) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (
  1
  )

1

5

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2015/C 006/06

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

6

| | |
| --- | --- |
| | (1)   Text with EEA relevance |

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(1)   Text with EEA relevance

1

| EN | |
| --- | --- |

EN

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II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/1

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Non-opposition to a notified concentration

(Case M.7463 — CVC/Betafence)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 6/01)

On 5 January 2015, the Commission decided not to oppose the above notified concentration and to declare it compatible with the internal market. This decision is based on Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1). The full text of the decision is available only in the English language and will be made public after it is cleared of any business secrets it may contain. It will be available:

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

—

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

| — | in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32015M7463. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law. |
| --- | --- |

—

in electronic form on the EUR-Lex website (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=en) under document number 32015M7463. EUR-Lex is the online access to European law.

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1.

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IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/2 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/2

---

Notice for the attention of the persons subject to the restrictive measures provided for in Council Decision 2011/72/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia

(2015/C 6/02)

The following information is brought to the attention of the persons that appear in the Annex to Council Decision 2011/72/CFSP (1), and in Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 (2), concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia.

The Council intends to renew the restrictive measures provided for in Decision 2011/72/CFSP. The Council holds on its file new elements concerning all persons listed in the Annex to Decision 2011/72/CFSP and in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 101/2011.The persons concerned are hereby informed that they may submit a request to the Council to obtain the information that relates to them, before 15 January 2015, to the following address:

| Council of the European Union |
| --- |
| General Secretariat |
| DG C 1C |
| Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 |
| 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
| E-mail: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu |

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

DG C 1C

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175

1048 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

E-mail: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu

Any observations received will be taken into account for the purpose of the Council's periodic review, in accordance with Article 5 of Decision 2011/72/CFSP and Article 12(4) of Regulation (EU) No 101/2011.

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(1)  OJ L 28, 2.2.2011, p. 62.

(2)  OJ L 31, 5.2.2011, p. 1.

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| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/3

---

Notice for the attention of the data subjects to whom the restrictive measures provided for in Council Regulation (EU) No 101/2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons, entities and bodies in view of the situation in Tunisia apply

(2015/C 6/03)

The attention of data subjects is drawn to the following information in accordance with Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001:

The legal basis for this processing operation is Regulation (EU) No 101/2011.

The controller of this processing operation is the Council of the European Union represented by the Director General of DG C (Foreign Affairs, Enlargement, Civil Protection) of the General Secretariat of the Council and the department entrusted with the processing operation is the Unit 1C of DG C that can be contacted at:

| Council of the European Union |
| --- |
| General Secretariat |
| DG C 1C |
| Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 |
| 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |
| E-mail: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu |

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

DG C 1C

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175

1048 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

E-mail: sanctions@consilium.europa.eu

The purpose of the processing operation is the establishment and updating of the list of persons subject to restrictive measures in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 101/2011.

The data subjects are the natural persons who fulfil listing criteria as laid down in that Regulation.

The personal data collected includes data necessary for the correct identification of the person concerned, the Statement of Reasons and any other data related thereto.

The personal data collected may be shared as necessary with the European External Action Service and the Commission.

Without prejudice to restrictions provided for in Article 20(1)(a) and (d) of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001, requests for access, as well as requests for rectification or objection will be answered in accordance with section 5 of Council Decision 2004/644/EC.

Personal data will be retained for 5 years from the moment the data subject has been removed from the list of persons subject to the asset freeze or the validity of the measure has expired, or for the duration of court proceedings in the event they had been started.

Data subjects may have recourse to the European Data Protection Supervisor in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001.

---

European Commission

| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/4 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/4

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Euro exchange rates (1)

9 January 2015

(2015/C 6/04)

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 1,1813 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 140,81 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4393 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,77990 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 9,4883 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 1,2010 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 9,0605 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 28,062 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 317,39 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,2699 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,4892 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 2,7154 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,4506 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,3963 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 9,1593 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 1,5115 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 1,5789 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 290,29 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 13,6655 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 7,3321 |
| HRK | Croatian kuna | 7,6780 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 14 925,34 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 4,2054 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 53,090 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | 72,8910 |
| THB | Thai baht | 38,846 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 3,1389 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 17,3190 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 73,6233 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,1813

JPY

Japanese yen

140,81

DKK

Danish krone

7,4393

GBP

Pound sterling

0,77990

SEK

Swedish krona

9,4883

CHF

Swiss franc

1,2010

ISK

Iceland króna

NOK

Norwegian krone

9,0605

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

28,062

HUF

Hungarian forint

317,39

PLN

Polish zloty

4,2699

RON

Romanian leu

4,4892

TRY

Turkish lira

2,7154

AUD

Australian dollar

1,4506

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,3963

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

9,1593

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,5115

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,5789

KRW

South Korean won

1 290,29

ZAR

South African rand

13,6655

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

7,3321

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,6780

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

14 925,34

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

4,2054

PHP

Philippine peso

53,090

RUB

Russian rouble

72,8910

THB

Thai baht

38,846

BRL

Brazilian real

3,1389

MXN

Mexican peso

17,3190

INR

Indian rupee

73,6233

---

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

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V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/5

---

Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7469 — Itochu/Hitachi Construction Machinery/Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia/JV)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 6/05)

| 1. | On 23 December 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Itochu Corporation (‘Itochu Group’, Japan) and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd and PT Hexindo Adiperkasa Tbk (‘Hitachi Group’, Japan) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control over PT Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia (‘JV’, Indonesia) by way of purchase of shares. |
| --- | --- |

1.

On 23 December 2014, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which Itochu Corporation (‘Itochu Group’, Japan) and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd and PT Hexindo Adiperkasa Tbk (‘Hitachi Group’, Japan) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and Article 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control over PT Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia (‘JV’, Indonesia) by way of purchase of shares.

| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   Itochu Group: worldwide trading of various products such as textile, machinery, metals, minerals, energy, chemicals, food, information and communications technology, realty; insurance, logistics services, construction and finance,
  —   Hitachi Group: worldwide manufacturing of construction machinery with a focus on hydraulic excavators and sale of wheel loaders, off-road dump trucks and some other products,
  —   JV: provision of financial services to customers and dealers in relation to the purchase of construction machineries and trucks of Hitachi Group in Indonesia. |
| --- | --- |

2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   Itochu Group: worldwide trading of various products such as textile, machinery, metals, minerals, energy, chemicals, food, information and communications technology, realty; insurance, logistics services, construction and finance,

—   Hitachi Group: worldwide manufacturing of construction machinery with a focus on hydraulic excavators and sale of wheel loaders, off-road dump trucks and some other products,

—   JV: provision of financial services to customers and dealers in relation to the purchase of construction machineries and trucks of Hitachi Group in Indonesia.

| 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. |
| --- | --- |

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 e-mail to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7469 — Itochu/Hitachi Construction Machinery/Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia/JV, to the following address:





  European Commission |
| --- | --- |
| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

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 M.7469 — Itochu/Hitachi Construction Machinery/Hitachi Construction Machinery Finance Indonesia/JV, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

---

(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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OTHER ACTS

European Commission

| 10.1.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 6/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

10.1.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 6/6

---

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

(2015/C 6/06)

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

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on protected geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
   (2)

‘TELEMEA DE IBĂNEŞTI’

EC No: RO-PDO-0005-01182 — 20.11.2013

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Name

‘Telemea de Ibăneşti’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Member State or Third Country

Romania

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Type of product

Class 1.3 Cheeses

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

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

‘Telemea de Ibănești’ is a cheese produced by acid coagulation of milk obtained from indigenous cows.

On release for consumption, it has the following characteristics: blocks with a square base may weigh 0,3-1,0 kg, while blocks with a rectangular base may weigh 0,3-0,7 kg. It is a compact, firm mass with even consistency, and is smooth and buttery. It comes apart easily, without breaking. Its colour ranges from white to white with slightly yellowish notes, and is uniform throughout the entire mass. It has a pleasant taste which is slightly sweet and sour and slightly salty, becoming stronger as the cheese matures. The aroma and fragrance are delicate and pleasant and also become stronger with maturing. It has a marked aroma of mountain pasture. Moisture is below 62 % and the fat content of the dry matter is less than 38 %. Its energy value is 198 kcal per 100 grams of product. The minimum calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents of ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ cheese are, respectively, 400 mg and 35 mg per 100 grams of product.

This type of cheese can be produced throughout the year.

It is marketed using the indications ‘proaspătă’ (fresh) or ‘maturată’ (mature). Fresh ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin can be consumed 24 hours after manufacture. The minimum maturation period for mature ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ – Protected Designation of Origin is 20 days from the date of manufacture.

proaspătă

maturată

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only)

Raw materials (for processed products only)

The raw material used to produce the cheese ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin is milk obtained from extensively farmed healthy cows reared and kept in the Gurghiu Valley.

For the renneting of the milk, microbial rennet is used.

For salting, brine extracted from the salt water well in Orșova is used. This brine contains: 184,4 mg of calcium and 94,6 mg of magnesium per litre, compared with 88,2 mg of calcium and 32,4 mg of magnesium per litre in brine produced from drinking water and salt, at the same salt concentration of 21-23 %.

The brine causes a rise in osmotic pressure, slows down or stops the activity of unwanted micro-organisms, and regulates the micro-flora in the cheese as a result of its bacteriostatic effect. This also ensures that the cheese can be preserved for a longer time.

3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only)

Feed (for products of animal origin only)

The dairy cows which produce the raw material for ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin are fed exclusively fibre feed from the defined geographical area, in the Gurghiu Valley.

In spring and summer, the cows feed on green mass by means of grazing or, in exceptional cases, indoors. In autumn and winter, they are fed hay harvested on grassland within the defined geographical area.

The feed for these dairy cows does not include any concentrated feedstuffs. The minimum annual grazing period is six months.

The quality of the milk stems both from the free-range method of dairy farming and from the quality of feed available in the Gurghiu Valley. The pastures and the grassland areas are maintained and fertilised using exclusively natural fertilisers (manure).

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

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

Rearing the dairy cows, collecting the milk and the brine, and the processing, salting and maturation all take place in the defined geographical area.

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

Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

The blocks of ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin are packaged in vacuum-sealed bags immediately after salting. The blocks may also be packaged, immediately after salting, in drums in which the cheese is covered in brine. This ensures that the cheese retains its combined sweet and salty flavour and consistency, and eliminates the risk of dehydration and of the blocks crumbling.

3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

Specific rules concerning labelling

The cheese ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin is marketed in the form of parallelepiped or cubic blocks to which is attached the product label bearing the words ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area comprises the administrative areas of the municipalities Gurghiu, Hodac and Ibănești in Mureș county. The territories of these municipalities in part form the Gurghiu Valley.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area in which the cheese ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin is produced corresponds in part to the valley of the river Gurghiu. This area is characterised by a specific flora favourable to the farming of animals, especially dairy cows; by salt water springs which the locals use to preserve dairy products, meat and vegetables; and not least by the people who preserve ancestral culinary and craft traditions.

The Gurghiu Valley has an alpine temperate climate, which is wet and cool in its higher sections, and a continental temperate climate in the plateau area. The richness and diversity of the flora in the area is due to this climate.

The richness of the flora in the Gurghiu Valley (1 194 species) and the presence of a relatively large number of endemic, endangered, vulnerable or rare species bear witness to the absence of pollution sources in this area.

The varied topography of the Gurghiu Valley is an asset for dairy farmers and Telemea cheese producers. The areas in question can provide the green mass necessary for feeding the dairy cows in summer and the hay used to feed them in winter.

The Sânioara, Osoiul and Orungii hills in the northern part of the Gurghiu Valley, and the Isticeu and Măgura hills in the Orșova Valley are sub-Carpathian anticline hills composed of Miocene deposits, with isolated salt deposits.

During the Roman occupation, several salt mines were built and operated. Following the collapse of one of those mines, a salt lake known as Jabenița was formed.

The ground water in this area is not drinkable, because it greatly exceeds the admissible salt concentration (665,23 mg/l of Cl anion and 420,5 mg/l of Na+ and K+ cations).

The feed for the dairy cows does not include any concentrated feedstuffs, which would increase the milk's acidity. All of these actions have only one aim, namely to produce a clean and tasty milk with the fragrance and aroma characteristic of the Gurghiu Valley.

Given the cheese's reputation, based on its taste and preservability, the local method of producing ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin has been passed on from generation to generation.

5.2.   Specificity of the product

Specificity of the product

The name of the cheese ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin corresponds to a soft to semi-hard cheese which owes its pleasant, slightly salty taste to the milk obtained from dairy farms in the Gurghiu Valley.

Its consistency and high Ca and Mg contents are achieved thanks to the salting and preservation method using brine extracted from the salt water well in Orșova. These characteristics make it stand out clearly from a product manufactured using brine made from drinking water and salt.

Test reports on the minerals found in the cheese ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin kept in brine extracted from the salt water well in Orșova and a product kept in brine made from drinking water and salt (NaCl) show a calcium (Ca) content of 540 mg per 100 grams of product for the former compared with 380 mg per 100 grams of product for the latter. The respective values for magnesium (Mg) are 50 mg and 32 mg per 100 grams of product. This is what gives ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ its specificity compared with a product kept in brine composed of drinking water and salt.

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)

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 link between the product and the production area is based in particular on a long tradition specific to the Gurghiu Valley in dairy farming and in the production and salting of ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin.

The cows' rich and varied diet confers particular organoleptic characteristics to the milk, which gives the cheese the unique flavour and aroma differentiating it from other products of the same category.

The skill and experience of the locals, combined with the local specific methods of wet salting using brine from the salt water well in Orșova, make the product specific to the area in question.

The long-standing techniques that are still practised in the production stages of ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin include rapid rennet-based curdling (less than one hour) and breaking the curds to a fine grain. Utensils of the past which are still used today in the production of ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin include a tool popularly known as the ‘harfă’, for shredding the curd, and other mixing tools, such as the ‘dog de lemn’ (wood board), a craft tool made mainly of wood and used for mixing the curd and preventing it from sticking to the sides of the vessel.

harfă

dog de lemn

The wet salting process creates a permanent balance between the soluble constituents in the brine and those in the cheese, and an exchange of Na, Ca and Mg ions and the ions in the cheese. Soluble nitrogen, fat, lactose and mineral salts pass to the brine, causing partial solubilisation of the protein content in the cheese and changes in the proteins inside the cheese, which influence the texture, solubility and conformation of the proteins. At the same time, sodium, calcium and magnesium ions pass to the cheese.

Absorption of salt in the course of brining is sometimes accompanied by a rise in the amount of water close to the cheese-brine contact area, in particular in light brines lacking calcium or magnesium, which causes defects such as a soft rind or gas holes. Such phenomena do not occur when using brine extracted from the Orșova salt water well, due to its high content of calcium and magnesium.

Another advantage of using brine from the Orșova well is the fact that the cheese dehydrates more slowly and a lower percentage salt content can be achieved.

The salt water springs in the Orșova area provide a natural source of brine for salting and preserving ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin. These salt water springs have higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium.

Since time immemorial, the rearing of dairy cows has traditionally been carried out by nuclear families for whom milk processing has been an important source of income. There is a considerable amount of historical evidence, dating as far back as the 17th century, proving that ‘Telemea de Ibănești’ — Protected Designation of Origin is part of the area's gastronomic tradition.

Reference to publication of the specification

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

3

(http://www.madr.ro/docs/ind-alimentara/produse-traditionale/caiet-de-sarcini-telemea-ibanesti.pdf)

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

1

(2)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

2

(3)  See footnote 2.

3

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