# Official Journal C 322/2022

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 322 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6526 August 2022 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 322

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6526 August 2022

---

| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | IV   Notices |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | European Commission |
| 2022/C 322/01 | Euro exchange rates — 25 August 2022 | 1 |
| | Council |
| 2022/C 322/02 | Council conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change | 2 |

Contents

page

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2022/C 322/01

Euro exchange rates — 25 August 2022

1

Council

2022/C 322/02

Council conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change

2

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| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | OTHER ACTS |
| | European Commission |
| 2022/C 322/03 | Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 | 6 |

V   Announcements

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2022/C 322/03

Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

6

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

EN

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IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

| 26.8.2022 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 322/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

26.8.2022

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 322/1

---

Euro exchange rates (1)

25 August 2022

(2022/C 322/01)

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 0,9970 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 136,07 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4374 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,84293 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 10,5525 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 0,9616 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | 140,30 |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 9,6400 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 24,648 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 408,93 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,7578 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,8758 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 18,1120 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,4306 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,2881 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 7,8234 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 1,6006 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 1,3857 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 331,98 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 16,7903 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 6,8317 |
| HRK | Croatian kuna | 7,5140 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 14 753,15 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 4,4586 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 55,842 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | |
| THB | Thai baht | 35,732 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 5,0879 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 19,8132 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 79,6555 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

0,9970

JPY

Japanese yen

136,07

DKK

Danish krone

7,4374

GBP

Pound sterling

0,84293

SEK

Swedish krona

10,5525

CHF

Swiss franc

0,9616

ISK

Iceland króna

140,30

NOK

Norwegian krone

9,6400

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

24,648

HUF

Hungarian forint

408,93

PLN

Polish zloty

4,7578

RON

Romanian leu

4,8758

TRY

Turkish lira

18,1120

AUD

Australian dollar

1,4306

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,2881

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

7,8234

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,6006

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,3857

KRW

South Korean won

1 331,98

ZAR

South African rand

16,7903

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

6,8317

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,5140

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

14 753,15

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

4,4586

PHP

Philippine peso

55,842

RUB

Russian rouble

THB

Thai baht

35,732

BRL

Brazilian real

5,0879

MXN

Mexican peso

19,8132

INR

Indian rupee

79,6555

---

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

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Council

| 26.8.2022 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 322/2 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

26.8.2022

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 322/2

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Council conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change

(2022/C 322/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Considering the following:

I.   INTRODUCTION

| 1. | RECALLING that the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 aim to reduce climate disaster risks; |
| --- | --- |

1.

| 2. | HAVING REGARD TO Article 196 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which encourages cooperation between Member States to address disasters, and Article 222 TFEU, under which the Union and its Member States act in a spirit of solidarity if a Member State is the victim of a disaster; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the priority the Union has expressly given to the green transition and the protection of biodiversity under the Green Deal, the objective of climate neutrality referred to in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, as well as the project, supported by the Recovery Package, of a greener, more resilient Europe that is better equipped to face current and future challenges, including in its external action; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | STRESSING that the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), established in 2001 and strengthened in particular in 2013, 2019 and 2021, plays an increasing role in Europe’s response to natural and man-made disasters, that recent amendment of the UCPM sets disaster resilience goals based on current and forward-looking scenarios, and that the UCPM contributes towards meeting the Union’s overall financing targets for climate and biodiversity; |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | RECALLING the Council Conclusions of 4 June 2009 on civil protection awareness raising, of 30 November 2009 on a Community framework on disaster prevention within the EU and of 3 October 2011 on the role of voluntary activities in social policy, which emphasise that voluntary activities benefit volunteers, communities and society as a whole; the creation of the European Solidarity Corps in 2018; the importance of civil society and citizens to enhance safety and resilience; and the Union commitments for the European Year of Youth 2022; |
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5.

| 6. | RECALLING the Council Conclusions of 3 June 2021 on forging a climate-resilient Europe – the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change and of 23 November 2021 on enhancing preparedness, response capability and resilience to future crises; |
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6.

| 7. | NOTING that the effects of climate change are evident and that extreme events related to climate change are becoming more frequent, intense and persistent, thus increasing the risk of human, material and natural losses and underlining the need for Member States to take action in this area; |
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7.

| 8. | ACKNOWLEDGING scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as adaptation and mitigation options provided by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; |
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8.

| 9. | ACKNOWLEDGING the vulnerability of European populations and territories in their diversity, in particular with regard to the Mediterranean basin, mountainous and forest areas, flood plains, seas, coasts and island territories, the Artic territories and the outermost regions and urban areas; |
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9.

| 10. | NOTING the significant role of the Union’s macro-regional strategies as one of the external policy instruments to tackle the impacts of climate change and strengthen resilience; |
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10.

II.   THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

| 1. | REAFFIRMS the principle of solidarity in addressing the challenges posed by climate change in the Union and worldwide; |
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1.

| 2. | RECALLS the primary responsibility of Member States for the protection of their people, the environment and property, including cultural heritage; |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | EMPHASISES the role of public and volunteer participation which contributes, as already underlined in the above-mentioned Conclusions of 3 October 2011, to develop active citizenship, democracy and social cohesion and, in doing so, to implement the fundamental values and principles of the Union, as well as resilience in the field of civil protection; |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | CONSIDERS that, as a result of climate change, Member States and Union institutions must be prepared to tackle large-scale, multi-sectoral, cross-border disasters with cascading effects, which may occur simultaneously and more frequently, within and outside the Union, and the consequences of which could deeply affect human life and activities as well as biodiversity; |
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4.

| 5. | NOTES the need for the Union to develop a more coherent and proactive systemic approach to enhance resilience to the consequences of climate change in all phases of the disaster management cycle, which includes prevention, preparedness, response and recovery; |
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5.

| 6. | STRESSES the importance of sharing and pooling knowledge, know-how and innovation, as well as lessons learnt from Member States and the Commission; |
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6.

| 7. | RECOGNISES that measures undertaken by Member States and the European institutions in the context of adaptation to the effects of climate change, with regard to the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change, should aim to complement the Union’s efforts in the field of disaster risk management; |
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7.

| 8. | STRESSES the importance of having enough internationally deployable capacities within the Member States, a EU Civil Protection Pool (ECPP), and a strategic European reserve of capacities (rescEU) ready to respond rapidly and efficiently to climate change-related disasters when the scale of an emergency overwhelms the possibilities of a country to respond on its own; |
| --- | --- |

8.

| 9. | NOTES that the UCPM plays a significant role in disaster management, strengthens Union partnerships and contributes to a European culture of civil protection; |
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9.

| 10. | INVITES the Member States to:






  a) | Take into account the risks related to climate change in the disaster management cycle, for example capitalising on the tools set up together by the Commission and the European Environment Agency, such as the Climate-ADAPT platform; |
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10.

a)

Take into account the risks related to climate change in the disaster management cycle, for example capitalising on the tools set up together by the Commission and the European Environment Agency, such as the Climate-ADAPT platform;

| b) | Foster work and research on the ways in which the effects of climate change can be reviewed and incorporated into their disaster risk management systems; integrate such work and research into the Member States national risk assessment, the development of risk management capability assessment and the disaster risk management planning improvement provided for in Article 6 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism; |
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b)

Foster work and research on the ways in which the effects of climate change can be reviewed and incorporated into their disaster risk management systems; integrate such work and research into the Member States national risk assessment, the development of risk management capability assessment and the disaster risk management planning improvement provided for in Article 6 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU on a Union Civil Protection Mechanism;

| c) | Support and pool research and innovation in order to improve national civil protection capacities in the context of climate change, in particular through the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (hereinafter the ‘Knowledge Network’), and, in that context, through centres of excellence, universities, researchers and thematic communities or centres of expertise; |
| --- | --- |

c)

Support and pool research and innovation in order to improve national civil protection capacities in the context of climate change, in particular through the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network (hereinafter the ‘Knowledge Network’), and, in that context, through centres of excellence, universities, researchers and thematic communities or centres of expertise;

| d) | Encourage investment in research and innovation in the field of civil protection in the context of climate change and mobilise relevant European funding; |
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d)

Encourage investment in research and innovation in the field of civil protection in the context of climate change and mobilise relevant European funding;

| e) | Develop adequate prevention and preparedness actions, including ensuring the availability of sufficient capacities, aimed at the risks resulting from climate change such as forest fires and flooding, that both constitute an increasing risk for Union citizens; |
| --- | --- |

e)

Develop adequate prevention and preparedness actions, including ensuring the availability of sufficient capacities, aimed at the risks resulting from climate change such as forest fires and flooding, that both constitute an increasing risk for Union citizens;

| f) | Pursue, in this regard, the development of ECPP and rescEU capacities based amongst others on current and forward-looking scenarios provided in Article 10 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU, taking into account identified and emerging risks and overall capacities and gaps at Union level, in particular in the areas of aerial forest-firefighting, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, emergency medical response, as well as transport, logistics and shelter; |
| --- | --- |

f)

Pursue, in this regard, the development of ECPP and rescEU capacities based amongst others on current and forward-looking scenarios provided in Article 10 of Decision No 1313/2013/EU, taking into account identified and emerging risks and overall capacities and gaps at Union level, in particular in the areas of aerial forest-firefighting, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, emergency medical response, as well as transport, logistics and shelter;

| g) | Make civil protection operations greener and more sustainable in all phases of the disaster management cycle and promote research, innovation and knowledge sharing; |
| --- | --- |

g)

Make civil protection operations greener and more sustainable in all phases of the disaster management cycle and promote research, innovation and knowledge sharing;

| h) | Take account of environmental and climate change impacts in the assistance provided through the UCPM, notably by pooling resources where appropriate; |
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h)

Take account of environmental and climate change impacts in the assistance provided through the UCPM, notably by pooling resources where appropriate;

| i) | Support the preparedness and resilience of the population exposed to climate change-related risks through specific information, education, training and exercises that may involve the national and sub-national levels and even a cross-border dimension, paying particular attention to people with specific vulnerabilities; |
| --- | --- |

i)

Support the preparedness and resilience of the population exposed to climate change-related risks through specific information, education, training and exercises that may involve the national and sub-national levels and even a cross-border dimension, paying particular attention to people with specific vulnerabilities;

| j) | Strengthen volunteers organisations as an integral part of civil protection; |
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j)

Strengthen volunteers organisations as an integral part of civil protection;

| k) | Consider to integrate, in this regard, spontaneous initiatives in response operations where appropriate and in coordination with local authorities; |
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k)

Consider to integrate, in this regard, spontaneous initiatives in response operations where appropriate and in coordination with local authorities;

| l) | Put forward the importance of citizens’ contribution to their own safety and resilience, and encourage any initiative aimed at valuing, recognising and promoting, where appropriate through a legal framework, their active involvement in voluntary actions and arrangements for disaster response; |
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l)

Put forward the importance of citizens’ contribution to their own safety and resilience, and encourage any initiative aimed at valuing, recognising and promoting, where appropriate through a legal framework, their active involvement in voluntary actions and arrangements for disaster response;

| m) | Account for the special role of youth in that regard; |
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m)

Account for the special role of youth in that regard;

| n) | Promote the citizen who actively participates, as an actor of his or her own safety and resilience or as a member of national or local civil structures contributing to civil protection, through the following three dimensions:






  i) | alerting: clarifying the role and responsibilities of different institutions in issuing targeted alerts to affected people, also using modern information and communication technologies; |
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n)

Promote the citizen who actively participates, as an actor of his or her own safety and resilience or as a member of national or local civil structures contributing to civil protection, through the following three dimensions:

i)

alerting: clarifying the role and responsibilities of different institutions in issuing targeted alerts to affected people, also using modern information and communication technologies;

| ii) | provision of information: raising public awareness of the risks involved, particularly in the areas most exposed to the effects of climate change, by disseminating public information and organising training activities, including on a voluntary basis; |
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ii)

provision of information: raising public awareness of the risks involved, particularly in the areas most exposed to the effects of climate change, by disseminating public information and organising training activities, including on a voluntary basis;

| iii) | mobilisation: encouraging citizens’ networks, associations and volunteers involved in risk prevention initiatives, disaster response and first aid training; |
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iii)

mobilisation: encouraging citizens’ networks, associations and volunteers involved in risk prevention initiatives, disaster response and first aid training;

| o) | Take into account the importance of long-term emergencies and the increasing risks they can pose to civil protection systems both at national and European level; |
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o)

Take into account the importance of long-term emergencies and the increasing risks they can pose to civil protection systems both at national and European level;

| p) | Consider the impact of climate change in international civil protection actions, by strengthening cooperation and supporting disaster and crisis management; |
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p)

Consider the impact of climate change in international civil protection actions, by strengthening cooperation and supporting disaster and crisis management;

| 11. | INVITES the Commission to:






  a) | Pursue the regular update of the ‘cross-sectoral overview of natural and man-made disasters risks that the Union may face’ by taking account of the impacts of climate change, on the basis of Member States national risk assessment reports; |
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11.

a)

Pursue the regular update of the ‘cross-sectoral overview of natural and man-made disasters risks that the Union may face’ by taking account of the impacts of climate change, on the basis of Member States national risk assessment reports;

| b) | Ensure that the impacts of climate change are systematically taken into account throughout the disaster management cycle; |
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b)

Ensure that the impacts of climate change are systematically taken into account throughout the disaster management cycle;

| c) | Ensure that the UCPM takes account of the diverse nature of disasters in a manner which is both reactive and adaptable and, when possible, proactive; |
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c)

Ensure that the UCPM takes account of the diverse nature of disasters in a manner which is both reactive and adaptable and, when possible, proactive;

| d) | Strengthen the availability of experts in the field of environment and climate change for deployment under the UCPM; |
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d)

Strengthen the availability of experts in the field of environment and climate change for deployment under the UCPM;

| e) | Promote the complementarity of the UCPM with other Union crisis management mechanisms; |
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e)

Promote the complementarity of the UCPM with other Union crisis management mechanisms;

| f) | Support research and innovation in the field of civil protection namely by establishing an inventory of available knowledge and to enrich the Knowledge Network, the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre and the centres of excellence that could be created within that framework, as well as the centres maintained by international organisations; |
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f)

Support research and innovation in the field of civil protection namely by establishing an inventory of available knowledge and to enrich the Knowledge Network, the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre and the centres of excellence that could be created within that framework, as well as the centres maintained by international organisations;

| g) | Strengthen and adapt the Union’s disaster and crisis management and decision support instruments, tools and platforms under the Common Emergency Communication and Information System, the European Drought Observatory, the European Flood Awareness System, the European Forest Fire Information System as well as the Galileo, Copernicus and EU Governmental Satellite Communications programmes; |
| --- | --- |

g)

Strengthen and adapt the Union’s disaster and crisis management and decision support instruments, tools and platforms under the Common Emergency Communication and Information System, the European Drought Observatory, the European Flood Awareness System, the European Forest Fire Information System as well as the Galileo, Copernicus and EU Governmental Satellite Communications programmes;

| h) | Improve the anticipation and response capabilities of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, in particular by exploring how to better use technological innovations, including artificial intelligence and available data sources to detect and anticipate extreme climate risks; |
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h)

Improve the anticipation and response capabilities of the Emergency Response Coordination Centre, in particular by exploring how to better use technological innovations, including artificial intelligence and available data sources to detect and anticipate extreme climate risks;

| i) | Foster greener and more sustainable European civil protection operations by supporting research and innovation, establishing an overview of the current state of play and drawing up guides to good practice in this area; |
| --- | --- |

i)

Foster greener and more sustainable European civil protection operations by supporting research and innovation, establishing an overview of the current state of play and drawing up guides to good practice in this area;

| j) | Further promote the engagement of civil society in the prevention of and operational response to climate change by supporting citizens’ contributions to their own safety and resilience and by promoting any volunteer-based disaster response initiatives, in coordination with the national or subnational authorities, including through European awards; |
| --- | --- |

j)

Further promote the engagement of civil society in the prevention of and operational response to climate change by supporting citizens’ contributions to their own safety and resilience and by promoting any volunteer-based disaster response initiatives, in coordination with the national or subnational authorities, including through European awards;

| k) | Develop training programmes and exercises for the management of environmental and climate related disasters, including within the EU training programme, and encourage the availability of expertise with a view to deployment within the framework of the UCPM; |
| --- | --- |

k)

Develop training programmes and exercises for the management of environmental and climate related disasters, including within the EU training programme, and encourage the availability of expertise with a view to deployment within the framework of the UCPM;

| l) | Explore the issue of climate change in international civil protection actions, including through fostering exchange of experiences and good practices with partners, for example in the Western Balkans and in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy; |
| --- | --- |

l)

Explore the issue of climate change in international civil protection actions, including through fostering exchange of experiences and good practices with partners, for example in the Western Balkans and in the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy;

| 12. | INVITES the Commission to report to the Council on progress made within the framework of its triennial UCPM reports, and calls on the Member States to assist the Commission in this task. |
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12.

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V Announcements

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

| 26.8.2022 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 322/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

26.8.2022

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 322/6

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Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(2022/C 322/03)

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).

The application for approval of this minor amendment can be consulted in the Commission’s eAmbrosia database.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘KORČULANSKO MASLINOVO ULJE’

EU No: PDO-HR-01351-AM01 — 5.5.2022

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s)

‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oils, etc.)

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

‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ is an extra-virgin olive oil obtained directly from the fruit of the olive tree solely by mechanical means.

At the time of being placed on the market, ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ must have the following physico-chemical and organoleptic properties:

| — | free fatty acid content ≤ 0,6 %; |
| --- | --- |

—

free fatty acid content ≤ 0,6 %;

| — | peroxide value ≤ 12 mEq/kg; |
| --- | --- |

—

peroxide value ≤ 12 mEq/kg;

| — | K232 ≤ 2,50 |
| --- | --- |

—

K232 ≤ 2,50

| — | K270 ≤ 0,22 |
| --- | --- |

—

K270 ≤ 0,22

| — | colour ranging from golden yellow to green; |
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—

colour ranging from golden yellow to green;

| — | pronounced aroma of green fruit and olive leaves (median for ‘fruity’ ≥ 2,5); |
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—

pronounced aroma of green fruit and olive leaves (median for ‘fruity’ ≥ 2,5);

| — | pronounced and homogeneous medium to intense bitter and sharp taste with a lasting aftertaste (median for bitterness and sharpness ≥ 3). |
| --- | --- |

—

pronounced and homogeneous medium to intense bitter and sharp taste with a lasting aftertaste (median for bitterness and sharpness ≥ 3).

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

The basic raw materials for producing ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ are olives of the indigenous cultivars ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’, either by themselves or in combination with each other and comprising at least 80 % of the product. Other olive cultivars grown in the geographical area defined under point 4 comprise no more than 20 % of all the olives processed to produce ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ and do not have a significant influence on the quality of the final product.

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

All stages of production of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ (cultivation, harvest and processing of the olives) must take place in the defined geographical area referred to under point 4.

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

Storage and bottling of the oil must also take place in the defined geographical area referred to under point 4 in order to preserve the specific organoleptic properties and quality of the product, which could be adversely affected by decanting. Each subsequent decanting of the oil outside the defined geographical area, or transport by sea over long distances, given possible restricted transport connections between the island of Korčula and the mainland, could ultimately have an adverse effect on the quality of the oil. For these reasons the product cannot be bottled outside the defined geographical area. ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ is placed on the market in (dark) glass containers of a volume not exceeding 1 litre. Tin containers intended for this type of product and of a volume of up to 5 litres may also be used if they have a closing system that, after opening, cannot be returned to its original state.

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

The harvest year must be indicated on the product label. Every container placed on the market must feature the common identifier. The design of the common identifier is shown below.

Image 1

All users of the designation of origin who place the product on the market in accordance with its specification have the right to use the common identifier, under the same conditions.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ comprises the entire island of Korčula, i.e. the cadastral municipalities of Vela Luka, Blato, Smokvica, Čara, Račišće, Pupnat, Žrnovo, Korčula and Lumbarda.

To the west, the island is separated from the island of Hvar by the 15-kilometre-wide Korčula Channel, to the north from the Pelješac Peninsula by the 2,5-kilometre-wide Pelješac Channel, and to the south from the island of Lastovo by the 13-kilometre-wide Lastovo Channel.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

The island of Korčula is dominated by craggy, mountainous terrain composed mainly of rock, with little arable land. The arable land has been cleared of rock and converted into terraces. The rock removed from the land is then used to build dry-stone walls which enclose the terraces. The dry-stone walls retain the fertile soil on the terraces; in other words, they prevent it from being washed away by rain. In that terraced fertile soil, enclosed by dry-stone walls, olive groves made up primarily of trees of the indigenous ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars are planted.

The main types of arable land can be divided into two groups: terraced regosols and field regosols. Regosols are most often composed of calcic cambisols and terra rossa.

The island of Korčula has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and dry, hot summers. The high average temperatures are the result of high exposure to sunlight. Mean annual temperatures on the island of Korčula range between 15,6 °C and 16,8 °C. The hottest month is July, with an average temperature of 25,9 °C, whereas the coldest month is February, with an average temperature of 9,1 °C.

From the point of view of exposure to sunlight, Korčula is very well-suited to olive growing. July has the most hours of sunlight (373,7 or around 12 hours of sun a day), whereas December has the fewest (125,3 or around 4 hours a day).

In terms of annual precipitation, the climate of the island of Korčula is characteristically humid. The most precipitation falls in the colder part of the year, from October to March, when the average monthly precipitation ranges from 80 mm to 150 mm. The least amount of precipitation falls from June to August, ranging on average from 30 mm to 45 mm.

Human factors

The population of the island of Korčula has played the main role in forming the island’s landscape. Olive growers have worked the craggy mountainous terrain, transforming it into terraced arable land and adapting it to the cultivation of olive trees enclosed within dry-stone walls. The difficulty of accessing the hill terraces precludes the use of large machinery. Harvesting is done by hand and with mechanical hand tools.

The island of Korčula has changed owners regularly since prehistoric times, so a multitude of historical events have influenced life and the development of cash crops on the island. An abundance of historical evidence testifies to the cultivation of olives and the production of olive oil on the island of Korčula since the time of colonisation by the Ancient Greeks and under Roman and Venetian rule. Written sources dating from the time when Korčula came under Venetian rule mention that ‘the Venetian government bought up oil at a very low price, which forced the inhabitants of the island to start smuggling it.’ Although strict penalties were introduced, figures show that oil from Korčula managed to travel even as far as Trieste.’ (S. Dokoza, Iz gospodarske i društvene povijesti Blata do XVIII. st., Zbornik radova, Blato, 2003).

Specificity of the product

The specificity of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ stems from the assortment of indigenous olive cultivars ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ which make up 80 % of the olives on the island of Korčula.

In his scientific work (Elajografija otoka Korčule (1995)), Pavle Bakarić states that the indigenous olive cultivars ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ differ from other varieties on the island of Korčula (‘Velika Lastovka’, ‘Vrtušćica’, ‘Oblica’) in terms of their morphological, biological and commercial characteristics. He also states that fresh olives from those two cultivars contain a greater proportion of oil (from 16,40 % to 24 %) than fresh olives of other cultivars.

The specificity of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ stems from its aroma (reminiscent of green fruit and olive leaves) and taste (of homogeneous medium to intense bitterness and sharpness) resulting from its high share of total phenols, which account for its sensory properties, i.e. bitterness and sharpness. This has been proven through research (M. Žanetić, D. Škevin, E. Vitanović, M. Jukić Špika and S. Perica, Ispitivanje fenolnih spojeva i senzorski profil dalmatinskih djevičanskih maslinovih ulja, Pomologia croatica vol. 17, 2011), which found that olive oil of the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars contained a higher proportion of total phenols (more than 350 mg/kg) than that from the other cultivars analysed (‘Oblica’ and ‘Levantinka’), which had a total phenol content of 161,15 mg/kg. It was also found that the ‘Lastovka’ cultivar has the largest proportion of hydroxytyrosols (214,32 mg/kg), and ‘Drobnica’ the largest proportion of tyrosols (84,37 mg/kg) of the cultivars analysed. Phenolic compounds in oil from the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars give it its high oxidative stability and a long shelf life. The high proportion of phenolic compounds influences the bitterness and sharpness of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ (median for bitterness and sharpness ≥ 3), and the balance between these two attributes is best expressed in the ‘Drobnica’ and ‘Lastovka’ cultivars, from which the abovementioned olive oil is produced.

Around 1 000 agricultural holdings and 10 olive mills are engaged in olive cultivation and olive oil production on the island of Korčula today. Olive growing is an important economic activity on the island, and the name ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ is still used today in everyday parlance, and on the market (delivery and shipping note, Presa d.o.o., Zlokić d.o.o., 2014).

Causal link

The specific pedo-climatic conditions of the island of Korčula and human activity have played a role in creating the specificity of ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’.

The local inhabitants transformed the island’s craggy and mountainous terrain into soil terraces enclosed by dry-stone walls in order to cultivate it. The terraces have been planted with olive groves made up primarily of olive trees of the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars. The walled terraces with olive trees constitute authentic features of the island’s landscape.

Producers have selected the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars as best suited to the specific pedo-climatic conditions. These represent 80 % of the olives grown on the island of Korčula.

Thanks to its geographical location, Korčula has predominantly very high daily temperatures with a very high number of sunlight hours. These favour the cultivation and growth of olives, especially those of the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars, which are extremely drought-resistant and have a particularly long harvest period (from October to the beginning of February).

Hand-picking the olives lets local producers set the ideal time for harvesting them. A direct effect of this is olives with high phenol content, which give ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ a medium to intense bitterness and sharpness of taste.

The island of Korčula’s specific climatic conditions, with its many hours of sunlight and low precipitation in the summer months, also lead directly to an increase in the phenol content of oils from the ‘Lastovka’ and ‘Drobnica’ cultivars. Analyses have shown this content to be greater than in other varieties tested, giving ‘Korčulansko maslinovo ulje’ its specific character.

Reference to publication of the product specification

https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/proizvodi_u_postupku_zastite-zoi-zozp-zts/Izmijenjena_specifikacija_Korculansko_maslinovo_ulje_012022.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

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