# Official Journal C 449/2018

| | ISSN 1977-091X |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 449 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 6113 December 2018 |

ISSN 1977-091X

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 449

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 6113 December 2018

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| Contents | page |
| --- | --- |
| | IV   Notices |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | Council |
| 2018/C 449/01 | Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the economic dimension of sport and its socioeconomic benefits | 1 |
| 2018/C 449/02 | Council conclusions on mutual recognition in criminal matters — Promoting mutual recognition by enhancing mutual trust | 6 |
| | European Commission |
| 2018/C 449/03 | Euro exchange rates | 10 |
| 2018/C 449/04 | Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Странджански манов мед (Strandzhanski manov med)/Maнов мед от Странджа (Manov med ot Strandzha) (PDO)) | 11 |
| 2018/C 449/05 | Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Paška sol (PDO)) | 17 |
| 2018/C 449/06 | Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of an application to amend the specification for a name in the wine sector in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Graves supérieures (PDO)) | 22 |
| 2018/C 449/07 | Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name Liquirizia di Calabria (PDO) | 28 |
| | NOTICES CONCERNING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA |
| | EFTA Surveillance Authority |
| 2018/C 449/08 | EFTA Surveillance Authority notice on state aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates for the EFTA States applicable as from 1 December 2018(Published in accordance with the rules on reference and discount rates set out in Part VII of the Authority’s State Aid Guidelines and Article 10 of the Authority’s Decision No 195/04/COL of 14 July 2004) | 35 |

Contents

page

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

2018/C 449/01

Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the economic dimension of sport and its socioeconomic benefits

1

2018/C 449/02

Council conclusions on mutual recognition in criminal matters — Promoting mutual recognition by enhancing mutual trust

6

European Commission

2018/C 449/03

Euro exchange rates

10

2018/C 449/04

Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Странджански манов мед (Strandzhanski manov med)/Maнов мед от Странджа (Manov med ot Strandzha) (PDO))

Official Journal of the European Union

11

2018/C 449/05

Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Paška sol (PDO))

Official Journal of the European Union

17

2018/C 449/06

Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of an application to amend the specification for a name in the wine sector in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Graves supérieures (PDO))

Official Journal of the European Union

22

2018/C 449/07

Commission Implementing Decision of 6 December 2018 on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name Liquirizia di Calabria (PDO)

Official Journal of the European Union

28

NOTICES CONCERNING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA

EFTA Surveillance Authority

2018/C 449/08

EFTA Surveillance Authority notice on state aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates for the EFTA States applicable as from 1 December 2018(Published in accordance with the rules on reference and discount rates set out in Part VII of the Authority’s State Aid Guidelines and Article 10 of the Authority’s Decision No 195/04/COL of 14 July 2004)

(Published in accordance with the rules on reference and discount rates set out in Part VII of the Authority’s State Aid Guidelines and Article 10 of the Authority’s Decision No 195/04/COL of 14 July 2004)

35

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| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY |
| | European Commission |
| 2018/C 449/09 | Notice concerning the anti-dumping duty in force on imports of ceramic tiles originating in the People’s Republic of China: name change of one company subject to the anti-dumping duty rate for cooperating non-sampled companies | 36 |
| | PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY |
| | European Commission |
| 2018/C 449/10 | Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9206 — Equistone Partners Europe/Courir) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (
  1
  ) | 37 |

V   Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

European Commission

2018/C 449/09

Notice concerning the anti-dumping duty in force on imports of ceramic tiles originating in the People’s Republic of China: name change of one company subject to the anti-dumping duty rate for cooperating non-sampled companies

36

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

2018/C 449/10

Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.9206 — Equistone Partners Europe/Courir) — Candidate case for simplified procedure (
  1
  )

1

37

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| | (1)   Text with EEA relevance. |

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(1)   Text with EEA relevance.

1

| EN | |
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EN

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IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

Council

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/1 |
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13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/1

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Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the economic dimension of sport and its socioeconomic benefits

(2018/C 449/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL

RECALLING THAT:

| 1. | The EU Work Plans for Sport (2011-2014 (1), 2014-2017 (2) and 2017-2020 (3)), adopted by the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, underlined the importance of the economic dimension of sport, addressing in particular the sustainable financing of sport, the legacy of major sport events, economic benefits of sport, and innovation. |
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1.

| 2. | The Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 27 November 2012 on strengthening the evidence-base for sport policymaking (4), recognised the significant contribution of sport to Europe’s economy as a driver of growth and employment and its contribution to achieve the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy and underlined the importance of comparable sport-related data and their use in policy formulation to increase the quality of sport policies. |
| --- | --- |

2.

| 3. | The Council Conclusions on the role of voluntary activities in sport in promoting active citizenship (5) point out that the sport sector, together with voluntary activities in sport, constitutes a measurable and significant economic and social value in national economies, with potential to stimulate growth and employment rates throughout the European Union. |
| --- | --- |

3.

| 4. | The Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 27 November 2012 on promoting health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) (6) underline that the current high rates of physical inactivity constitute a major concern for the EU and its Member States, both from a health, social and an economic perspective. |
| --- | --- |

4.

| 5. | The Council Conclusions on the contribution of sport to the EU economy, and in particular to addressing youth unemployment and social inclusion (7) emphasise the importance of the sport sector for the economy and young people to attain useful skills in paid employment as well as in voluntary activities. |
| --- | --- |

5.

| 6. | The Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council on sport as a driver of innovation and economic growth (8) examined the potential of sport in terms of growth and employment and as a driver for innovation. |
| --- | --- |

6.

| 7. | The Council Conclusions on the promotion of motor skills, physical and sport activities for children (9) foster the encouraging of physical education in schools, including motor skills in early childhood against the background of a change of the daily habits of children from physical activities to more sedentary activities. |
| --- | --- |

7.

| 8. | The Council Conclusions to contribute towards halting the rise in Childhood Overweight and Obesity (10) confirm that health is a value, an opportunity and an investment for the economic and social development of each country and that childhood obesity is a strong predictor of adult obesity with well-known health and economic consequences. |
| --- | --- |

8.

CONSIDERING THAT:

| 9. | Sport is recognised as an economic driver for growth in terms of effects on value added, gross domestic product and purchasing power (11). |
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9.

| 10. | Sport is a cross-sectoral phenomenon and goes far beyond the revenues of the sport industry. It represents in particular a stake in public health, regional development and tourism, but also in integration and education and as a social link. |
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10.

| 11. | Efforts regarding the measurability of the economic impact of sport have been made at EU level since the economic dimension of sport was first addressed in the EU context in 2006 (12). |
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11.

| 12. | To date, altogether nine EU Member States (13) maintain fully-fledged national Sport Satellite Accounts (SSAs) and additional five countries (14) keep a set of sport-related data which allow for a high degree of precision in the results. |
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12.

| 13. | According to a recent study (15), sport accounts for 2,12 % of the EU GDP and sport-related employment is accountable for 5,67 m people (2,72 % of EU employment). The results also show that, when the economy was suffering, sport was a very resilient sector, generating growth and jobs (16). |
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13.

| 14. | Although the economic dimension of sport — corresponding to the national accounts — is well represented via SSAs and other calculation systems, the contribution of sport to the economy is still underestimated, because there are numerous additional, so called socioeconomic effects (e.g. health economic effects, the commitment of volunteers, the contribution of innovation to growth and the contribution of sport to regional development) that are still not represented, but have effects on GDP and employment. |
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14.

| 15. | The economic costs of physical inactivity-related diseases (17) are not reflected in the national accounts (18) even if these economic implications are important (19), and are not quantifiable without appropriate methods. |
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15.

| 16. | Volunteer work has a significant educational benefit and provides an important contribution to the economic dimension of sport (20) which is not reflected in national accounts. |
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16.

| 17. | The sport-related dimension of innovation (21) has not yet been sufficiently considered in terms of GDP and employment because of a lack of data. It is therefore important to develop reliable empirical results concerning the impact of sport-related innovation on export dynamics and economic growth. |
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17.

| 18. | The contribution of sport to regional development still lacks visibility and awareness of the many ways sport and physical activity could be powerful means of achieving the EU objective of cohesion, in particular in view of contributing to Europe 2020 objectives. Recent evidence (22) has shown how sport-related projects have contributed to local economies, employment and social cohesion as well as highlighting that many regions across Europe have included sport in their smart specialisation strategies. |
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18.

RECOGNISING THAT:

| 19. | The representation of the contribution of sport to the economy as a whole requires the consideration of additional aspects, inter alia, the quantification of health economic effects of physical activity, the recognition of the additional benefit of voluntary work, the contribution of innovation to enhancing growth potential and the analysis of the impact of sport-related projects on regional development. |
| --- | --- |

19.

| 20. | Measuring the socioeconomic effects of sport requires additional methods and approaches (23). In order to provide evidence-based results on the national and European level the availability of comparable data and findings is necessary. Any collected data on these matters should be gender disaggregated. |
| --- | --- |

20.

| 21. | Sport and physical activities contribute to addressing today’s local and regional challenges, notably by developing soft mobility solutions, by accelerating the revitalisation of urban areas thanks to smart sport infrastructures, or by improving social cohesion across diverse communities. |
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21.

INVITE MEMBER STATES TO:

| 22. | Consider developing SSAs or other comparable calculation systems to quantify the economic impact of sport. |
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22.

| 23. | Support and disseminate the idea of extending the representation of the economic dimension of sport by socioeconomic aspects, especially volunteering, health economic aspects and innovation, on the European and national level and by enhancing cross-sectoral cooperation. |
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23.

| 24. | Take into consideration the value of voluntary work for the national economy and including this topic in statistics. |
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24.

| 25. | Raise awareness about the potential of sport to contribute to growth and employment through reliable data. |
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25.

| 26. | Consider further collaboration among Member States and with the Commission to develop comparable definitions, methods and standards concerning the socioeconomic dimensions of the sport sector. |
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26.

| 27. | Promote the exchange at national level on the inclusion of smart specialisation strategies, such as sport clusters, where appropriate. |
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27.

| 28. | Consider including sport and physical activities as a cross-cutting priority across other policy areas, such as health, education, transport, urban planning, social and tourism policies, where the contribution of sport has been widely evidenced. |
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28.

INVITE THE COMMISSION TO:

| 29. | Promote and support actions such as the exchange of relevant data and method-specific know-how, the collection of evidence and aggregation of sport statistics, as well as technical support, which are aiming to improve and simplify Member States efforts to quantify the economic dimension of sport. |
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29.

| 30. | Initialise an evaluation process on the use and applicability of calculation systems used to quantify the socioeconomic aspects of sport, including mapping out existing research and collecting examples of best practices. |
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30.

| 31. | Support, within the context of a group of experts and with the support of Eurostat, the development of tools to complement or update the already existing data on the economic dimension of sport, including socioeconomic aspects. |
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31.

| 32. | Raise awareness about the potential of sport as a source of innovation. |
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32.

| 33. | Support the exchange and further strengthen the cooperation, both within the Commission and with other EU institutions, on the role of sport in modern economies and society, in particular in view of its contribution to regional development. |
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33.

INVITE THE SPORTS MOVEMENT TO:

| 34. | Support the collection of data on the contribution of voluntary work in sport and physical activity. |
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34.

| 35. | Consider to foster comparable economic analysis on the economic impact of voluntary work and physical activity as well as physical inactivity. |
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35.

| 36. | Encourage the exchange of best practices on methods to measure socioeconomic effects with experts. |
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36.

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(1)  OJ C 162, 1.6.2011, p. 1.

(2)  OJ C 183, 14.6.2014, p. 12.

(3)  OJ C 189, 15.6.2017, p. 5.

(4)  OJ C 393, 19.12.2012, p. 20.

(5)  OJ C 372, 20.12.2011, p. 24.

(6)  OJ C 393, 19.12.2012, p. 22.

(7)  OJ C 32, 4.2.2014, p. 2.

(8)  OJ C 436, 5.12.2014, p. 2.

(9)  OJ C 417, 15.12.2015, p. 46.

(10)  OJ C 205, 29.6.2017, p. 46.

(11)  Study on the economic impact of sport through Sport Satellite Accounts, 2018.

(12)  Expert group on Sport Statistics (2011-2014), Vilnius Definition of Sport.

(13)  Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and the UK.

(14)  Bulgaria, France, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Spain.

(15)  Study on the economic impact of sport through Sport Satellite Accounts, 2018.

(16)  Also confirmed in: http://www.oecd.org/mcm/C-MIN(2013)1-ENG.pdf

(17)  Direct costs in health system, productivity losses, mortality and occupational disabilities caused by physical inactivity-related diseases like, e.g. diabetes type II, depression, back problems or cardiovascular diseases.

(18)  Accounts and techniques for measuring an economic activity of a nation

(19)  As confirmed by the ISCA/CEBR Study ‘The Economic Cost of Physical Inactivity in Europe’: http://inactivity-time-bom.nowwemove.com/ and the WHO Study ‘Physical activity and health: evidence for action’: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/87545/E89490.pdf?ua=1

(20)  Study on Volunteering in the European Union, 2010.

(21)  Covering the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay.

(22)  Study on the contribution of sport to regional development through the structural funds, 2016.

(23)  The Kazan Action Plan, as adopted on 15 July 2017 by Unesco, also establishes in Action 2 the need to develop common indicators for measuring the contribution of physical education, physical activity and sport to prioritised Sustainable Development Goals and targets.

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ANNEX

1.

The Commission White Paper on Sport (1) put a particular emphasis on the economic dimension of sport, stressing the need for comparable EU-wide information in order to develop evidence-based policies.

2.

The Commission Communication on Sport (2) recognises the importance of Sport Satellite Accounts (SSAs) for sound policymaking and highlights the value of sport as a tool for regional development.

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(1)  Doc. 11811/07 — COM(2007) 391 final, 12.7.2007.

1

(2)  Doc. 5597/11 — COM(2011) 12 final, 21.1.2011.

2

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| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/6 |
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13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/6

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Council conclusions

on mutual recognition in criminal matters

‘Promoting mutual recognition by enhancing mutual trust’

(2018/C 449/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Recalling that in accordance with Article 82(1) TFEU, judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the Union is based on the principle of mutual recognition of judgments and judicial decisions;

Noting that in application of this principle, a competent authority in one Member State forwards a judgment or judicial decision to a competent authority in another Member State, which then executes that decision as if it was its own (subject to the applicable rules);

Affirming that the principle of mutual recognition is founded on mutual trust developed through the shared values of the Member States concerning respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, so that each authority has confidence that the other authorities apply equivalent standards of protection of rights across their criminal justice systems;

Emphasising that the right to a fair trial, including, inter alia, the requirement of judicial independence, is of cardinal importance for the effective protection of fundamental rights, as it guarantees the protection of all individual rights deriving from EU and national law and the safeguarding of the Member States' common values as set out in Article 2 TEU, in particular the rule of law;

Noting that various issues — notably of a practical or policy nature — can impair mutual trust, and that an ongoing effort is therefore required to foster and enhance this trust;

Considering that such issues relate, inter alia, to differences in the implementation and application of Union law, the rule of law, and areas with a particular sensitivity with regard to fundamental rights, such as detention conditions and the length of pre-trial detention;

Recalling that at their informal meeting on 12 and 13 July 2018, Ministers discussed recent developments that pose challenges to the principle of mutual recognition, as well as relevant case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU);

Recalling moreover that at the CATS meeting of 18 September 2018, delegations discussed a Presidency paper setting out the problems and obstacles that arise in relation to the application of mutual recognition instruments as well as proposals for potential action (11956/18);

Recalling finally that at the meeting of the Council (Justice and Home Affairs) on 11 October 2018, Ministers provided input on best practices and action taken to enhance mutual recognition and mutual trust, and on practical and legal measures taken to address recent developments, in particular developments in the case-law of the CJEU and in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (12492/18);

HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS:

| 1. | The Member States are reminded that the efficiency and effectiveness of EU mutual recognition instruments, in particular those that have the legal form of Framework Decisions or Directives, is to a large extent dependent on the relevant national legislation being drafted and adopted in line with those instruments; |
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1.

| 2. | The Member States are urged to note the importance of implementing the procedural rights Directives (1) in a timely and correct manner with a view to guarantee the right to a fair trial; |
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2.

| 3. | The Member States should continue to ensure the independence and impartiality of the courts and of the judges, since this forms part of the essence of the fundamental right to a fair trial as guaranteed by the second paragraph of Article 47 of the Charter; |
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3.

| 4. | The Member States are reminded that in accordance with the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, a refusal to execute a decision or judgment that has been issued on the basis of a mutual recognition instrument can only be justified in exceptional circumstances, and taking into account that by virtue of the principle of primacy of EU law, Member States cannot demand a higher level of national protection of fundamental rights from another Member State than that provided by EU law. As a consequence, any case for non-execution based on an infringement of fundamental rights should be applied restrictively, following the approach developed by the CJEU in its case law; |
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4.

| 5. | The Member States are encouraged to have legislation in place that allows, where appropriate, to make use of alternative measures to detention in order to reduce the population in their detention facilities, thereby furthering the aim of social rehabilitation and also addressing the fact that mutual trust is often hampered by poor detention conditions and the problem of overcrowded prisons; |
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5.

| 6. | The Member States and the Commission are encouraged to promote continuous training of judges, prosecutors and other practitioners, including in the field of fundamental rights in criminal proceedings, as this can enhance the application of the EU instruments based on mutual recognition, to foster mutual trust amongst the European judicial area through the organisation of judicial training seminars and exchanges, and to give due consideration to the adequate funding of training activities in this field at national and European level, especially the ones organised by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN); |
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6.

| 7. | The Member States are encouraged to designate practitioners — which can be national contact points for the European Judicial Network (EJN) — in their jurisdiction as specialists in judicial cooperation in criminal matters so that they can assist other practitioners in the application of all relevant instruments, including EU instruments based on the principle of mutual recognition; |
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7.

| 8. | The Member States are encouraged, where possible with the support of EU financing, to promote exchanges between practitioners of different Member States and stimulate other contacts between such practitioners, as this can enhance mutual trust and promote the efficient application of the principle of mutual recognition; |
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8.

| 9. | The Member States are encouraged to share best practices to enhance mutual recognition and mutual trust, including in COPEN or in CATS; |
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9.

| 10. | The Member States are encouraged to establish (non-binding) guidelines on the application of the EU mutual recognition instruments so as to help practitioners understand how the national legislation implementing the EU instruments is to be interpreted and applied; |
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10.

| 11. | The Member States are invited to encourage practitioners to make full use of the possibilities of the EJN and Eurojust, in accordance with their respective mandates, to assist practitioners in handling judicial cooperation in criminal matters, |
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11.

| 12. | The Member States are in particular invited to encourage practitioners to use the practical tools for judicial cooperation and the (electronic) forms and certificates of mutual recognition instruments that are available on the website of the EJN, as this may facilitate the application of these instruments; |
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12.

| 13. | The Member States are invited to encourage practitioners that act as executing authorities in mutual recognition procedures to enter into dialogue and direct consultations with the issuing authorities in other Member States whenever this may be appropriate, in particular before considering not to recognise or execute a decision or judgment that is sent in the context of such procedures; |
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13.

| 14. | The Member States are invited to ensure that the EJN Contact Points have the capacity to perform their tasks as EJN Contact Points along with their regular duties and tasks, as was highlighted in the Final Report of the of the Sixth Round of mutual evaluations (Recommendation No.7), so that the EJN can continue exercising its task effectively, including in the field of mutual recognition; |
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14.

| 15. | The Member States who have made a declaration (reservation) in relation to a mutual recognition instrument are invited to verify whether such declaration can be withdrawn, so as to foster a uniform application of the instrument concerned; |
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15.

| 16. | The Member States are invited to promote the active participation of competent representatives in the conference on prison overcrowding that will be organised by the Council of Europe, with the support of the European Commission, on 24 and 25 April 2019, as well as in the conference on current challenges for the European penitentiary systems to be held under the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union; |
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16.

| 17. | The Member States and the Commission are invited to set up as a matter of priority the e-Evidence Digital Exchange System as a secure way of sending the European Investigation Order and MLA requests and responses; |
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17.

| 18. | The Commission is invited to make use of its competences, where appropriate, to ensure that the EU instruments on judicial cooperation in criminal matters and procedural rights are implemented in a timely and correct manner; |
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18.

| 19. | The Commission is invited to provide practical guidance on the recent case-law of the CJEU, notably the Aranyosi case-law, as well as on where to find relevant sources for practitioners containing objective, reliable and properly updated information on penitentiary establishments and prison conditions in the Member States; |
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19.

| 20. | The Council invites the Member States to consider arranging for a translation of the Fact sheet of the Council of Europe on Detention conditions and treatment of prisoners into their official language and to offer such translations to the Council of Europe for publication on its website; |
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20.

| 21. | The Commission is invited, in consultations with the Member States, to further develop and regularly update its handbook on the European arrest warrant, including by taking account of recent case-law of the CJEU and best practices for its correct application, and to develop handbooks on the other mutual recognition instruments once fully implemented by the Member States, e.g. the Framework Decisions on custodial sanctions (2) and on probation (3), as well as, in the future, the Directive on the EIO (4) and the Regulation on freezing and confiscation orders (5), so as to promote the correct implementation and application of these instruments; |
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21.

| 22. | The Commission is invited to communicate notifications by Member States on the EU mutual recognition instruments and other instruments relevant for judicial cooperation in criminal matters in at least one commonly understandable language of the EU to the EJN, so that it can publish these on its website; |
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22.

| 23. | The Commission is encouraged to continue organising meetings with experts and practitioners to discuss issues relating to mutual recognition, to step up the frequency and intensity of such meetings, if deemed useful, and to make the outcome of such meetings available to practitioners; |
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23.

| 24. | The Commission is invited to promote making optimal use of the funds under the EU financial programmes, in case they are made available, in order to strengthen and promote judicial cooperation between the Member States, including in order to modernise detention facilities in the Member States and support the Member States to address the problem of deficient detention conditions, as this can be detrimental to the application of the mutual recognition instruments; |
| --- | --- |

24.

| 25. | The Commission, the Council and the European Parliament are encouraged to draft instruments on mutual recognition, including the forms and certificates, in a more clear, precise and user-friendly way, and to seek more consistency in such drafting, so as to facilitate the application of these instruments by practitioners. Where appropriate, support should be requested from Eurojust and the EJN to that effect; |
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25.

| 26. | Eurojust is encouraged to continue its operational and strategic work in relation to mutual recognition instruments in order to facilitate the application of these instruments; |
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26.

| 27. | Eurojust and the EJN are invited to continue playing an active role in addressing obstacles for and identifying best practices in mutual recognition and to continue paying regular attention to instruments of mutual recognition in their meetings with practitioners; |
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27.

| 28. | The EJN is encouraged to continue improving its website with practical information on mutual recognition instruments, among other things, since this has proven to be a very helpful tool for practitioners; |
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28.

| 29. | The EJTN is encouraged to continue organising training on Union law, including on the relevance of the Charter of Fundamental Rights for the functioning of mutual recognition instruments in criminal matters, and exchanges between practitioners; |
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29.

| 30. | The Council is invited to designate the practical operation of certain mutual recognition instruments as the topic for the ninth round of mutual evaluations; |
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30.

| 31. | The Presidency is invited to continue devoting appropriate attention, including at political level, to the issue of mutual recognition and mutual trust, in particular by ensuring a regular exchange of views on this subject, so as to promote the application of the instruments based on the principle of mutual recognition. |
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31.

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(1)  Directives 2010/64/EU, 2012/13/EU, 2013/48/EU, (EU) 2016/343, (EU) 2016/800 and (EU) 2016/1919 for the Member States bound by them.

(2)  Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA.

(3)  Framework Decision 2008/947/JHA.

(4)  Directive 2014/41/EU.

(5)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1805.

---

European Commission

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/10 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/10

---

Euro exchange rates (1)

12 December 2018

(2018/C 449/03)

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 1,1346 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 128,67 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4641 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,90135 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 10,3595 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 1,1286 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | 140,00 |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 9,7265 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 25,866 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 323,43 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,2986 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,6571 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 6,0893 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,5732 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,5170 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 8,8693 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 1,6573 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 1,5577 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 280,62 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 16,1475 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 7,8155 |
| HRK | Croatian kuna | 7,3895 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 16 562,32 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 4,7538 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 59,714 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | 75,2467 |
| THB | Thai baht | 37,192 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 4,3881 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 22,7639 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 81,6900 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,1346

JPY

Japanese yen

128,67

DKK

Danish krone

7,4641

GBP

Pound sterling

0,90135

SEK

Swedish krona

10,3595

CHF

Swiss franc

1,1286

ISK

Iceland króna

140,00

NOK

Norwegian krone

9,7265

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

25,866

HUF

Hungarian forint

323,43

PLN

Polish zloty

4,2986

RON

Romanian leu

4,6571

TRY

Turkish lira

6,0893

AUD

Australian dollar

1,5732

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,5170

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

8,8693

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,6573

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,5577

KRW

South Korean won

1 280,62

ZAR

South African rand

16,1475

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

7,8155

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,3895

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

16 562,32

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

4,7538

PHP

Philippine peso

59,714

RUB

Russian rouble

75,2467

THB

Thai baht

37,192

BRL

Brazilian real

4,3881

MXN

Mexican peso

22,7639

INR

Indian rupee

81,6900

---

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

---

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/11 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/11

---

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 December 2018

on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) (PDO))

(2018/C 449/04)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) thereof,

Whereas:

| (1) | Bulgaria has sent to the Commission an application for protection of the name ‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. |
| --- | --- |

(1)

Bulgaria has sent to the Commission an application for protection of the name ‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

| (2) | In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

| (3) | In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation for the name ‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

(3)

In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation for the name ‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 for the name ‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha) (PDO) are contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the registration of the name referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 6 December 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

---

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

1

---

ANNEX

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘СТРАНДЖАНСКИ МАНОВ МЕД’ (STRANDZHANSKI MANOV MED)/‘MAНОВ МЕД ОТ СТРАНДЖА’ (MANOV MED OT STRANDZHA)

EU No: PDO-BG-02306 — 12.4.2017

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s)

‘Странджански манов мед’ (Strandzhanski manov med)/‘Maнов мед от Странджа’ (Manov med ot Strandzha)

2.   Member State or Third Country

Bulgaria

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   
  Type of product

Class 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)

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

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is honey produced by honey bees from the secretions of living parts of plants and from the excretions of plant-sucking insects, which the bees collect, combine with specific substances of their own, store, dehydrate, and deposit in honeycomb cells to mature within the geographical area referred to in point 4. The product ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is made from honeydew secreted by certain insects and the sap of oak acorns, which are collected by bees.

Organoleptic characteristics:

Exterior: opaque, slightly opalescent, with no traces of brood or other mechanical pulp and showing no signs of fermentation.

Colour: brown or dark brown to black in colour, with a greenish tint. After crystallisation, the colour may change to light brown or grey.

Consistency: dense, runny, semi-crystallised or crystallised mass.

Flavour: sweet, with slight acidity and bitter notes.

Aroma: roasted fruits and caramel.

Requirements concerning the composition of the honey:

Physical and chemical characteristics:

| fructose and glucose content | not less than 45 g/100 g |
| --- | --- |
| sucrose content | not more than 5 g/100 g |
| moisture content | not more than 19 % |
| water-insoluble content | not more than 0,1 g/100 g |
| electrical conductivity | must exceed 0,95 mS/cm |
| free acidity | not more than 50 milliequivalents of acid per 1 000 g |
| diastase activity | above 12 Schade units after obtention |
| hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content | not more than 10 mg/kg after obtention of honey |

fructose and glucose content

not less than 45 g/100 g

sucrose content

not more than 5 g/100 g

moisture content

not more than 19 %

water-insoluble content

not more than 0,1 g/100 g

electrical conductivity

must exceed 0,95 mS/cm

free acidity

not more than 50 milliequivalents of acid per 1 000 g

diastase activity

above 12 Schade units after obtention

hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content

not more than 10 mg/kg after obtention of honey

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is mainly distinguished from nectar-based honey for its high electrical conductivity due to its higher content of micronutrients: potassium (1 568-1 676 mg/kg), magnesium (149-169 mg/kg), lithium (0,11-0,33 mg/kg) and manganese (34-51 mg/kg) and antioxidants: phenol content (56- 65 mg/kg). It is characterised by high levels of melezitose (4-11 %) and erlose. Another distinctive characteristic is the presence of quercitol and kestose. Another characteristic of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is that it contains honeydew elements (HDE), namely fungal spores, conidia, hyphae, etc., which are a result of the specific production and harvesting process.

Pollen characteristics:

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is honeydew honey with pollen content of diverse botanical origin. The wealth of plant species in Strandzha includes: Trifolium (white clover), Vicia (common vetch), Lotus (Lotus corniculatus), Tilia (linden), Echium (Boraginaceae family), Rubus, Matricaria (Asteraceae family), Daucus (Umbelliferae), Potentilla (Rosaceae), Paliurus, Dorycnium (Fabaceae family), Brassicaceae, Clematis (Clematitis vitalba), Cistus (sage-leaved rockrose, pink rockrose), Plantago and Chenopodiaceae.

The pollen characteristics of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ are influenced by specific plants in the Strandzha region not found elsewhere in Bulgaria. These are: Ophrys reinholdii, Verbascum bugulifolium, Teucrium lamiifolium, laurel-leaved rockrose, Hypericum androsaemum, Stachys thracica and Epimedium pubigerum. They are also influenced by Tertiary relict flora — species which were widespread in the Strandzha region during the Tertiary Period — such as Cicer montbretii, Erica arborea, medlar, common heather, sage-leaved rockrose, Hypericum calycinum and others.

The European range of seven of these is limited to the Strandzha region and the Caucasus: Ilex colchica, Daphne pontica, Caucasian whortleberry, Rhododendron ponticum, Strandzha oak, Veronica turrilliana and Quercus polycarpa.

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

The feeding of bees is not permitted during the period of the honey harvest. The bees may be fed in spring and after the honey is extracted before winter in quantities necessary for the building-up of reserves and ensuring that the colony survives the winter. Colonies may be fed with sugar, sugar cake and sugar syrups. The bees may also be fed honey of their own production. Producers must ensure that winter reserves do not find their way into the surplus honey (‘Strandzhanski manov med’).

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

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is obtained at apiaries (mainly of the stationary type) in the oak forests of the Strandzha massif, which must be located within the defined geographical area. ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is obtained during the months of June, July and August. The bee colonies must be located in the defined geographical area throughout the year.

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is produced in the following manner:

| (1) | the transfer of the sealed honey frames to the premises; |
| --- | --- |

(1)

the transfer of the sealed honey frames to the premises;

| (2) | uncapping and centrifugation of the honey comb; |
| --- | --- |

(2)

uncapping and centrifugation of the honey comb;

| (3) | filtering and pouring in containers intended for the storage; |
| --- | --- |

(3)

filtering and pouring in containers intended for the storage;

| (4) | transfer of the ready honey containers to the warehouse. |
| --- | --- |

(4)

transfer of the ready honey containers to the warehouse.

All stages of production must take place in the defined geographical area in order to safeguard the quality of the product and its full traceability.

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

With an objective to guarantee the quality and the full traceability of the product, the honey is packaged in the geographical area defined in point 4, the weight shall not exceed 1 500 gr.

With a view to guarantee the quality and especially to keep the organoleptic and physical and chemical characteristics of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’, the packaging and the labelling should be carried out in the defined geographical area as during transportation to a new location out of it the quality of the product could be changed by the increased temperatures. All the processes should be carried out in the geographical area in order to avoid the mixing with other honeys not covered by this Protected Designation of Origin as well as for the protection from absorption of extraneous odours. ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ must not be transported out of the geographical area with the aim of packaging because it is hygroscopic and the protection of the product from the humidity is of an essential importance as it worsens the organoleptic and physical and chemical characteristics.

The sale of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ in bulk is prohibited.

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

—

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is produced in the following municipalities: Sozopol, Primorsko, Tsarevo, Malko Tarnovo and Sredets.

5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   
  Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area covers the Strandzha massif and has a humid continental or oceanic climate. Also characteristic of the region are mild temperatures; frequent mists in spring and summer, sometimes persisting until late morning; mild temperatures and high air humidity. These conditions facilitate the dissolution of the secreted substances which the insects collect on the surface of foliage. The light mists help ensure that drops of sap are not wasted, as is the event of heavier mists these drops become larger and fall from the leaf. The combination of climatic factors — maritime humidity near mountains, but without heavy rainfall, and a relatively warm climate without extreme temperatures, together with the proximity of the sea and the oak forests, provides excellent conditions for the producers of the honeydew — aphids (Lachnus roboris, L. pallipes, Monelliopsis caryae, Tuberculatus (Tuberculloides) querceus and T. annulatus), the acorn weevil (Curculio Glandium) and the chestnut tortrix (Cydia Splendana).

The particular geographical situation of the mountain massif, with its proximity to three major water basins — the Black, Aegean, and Marmara seas, and the climatic factors thus created — relatively high air humidity and mild temperatures, as well as its paleontological history (absence of ice in the Quaternary Period) create conditions in which floristic elements can be found in combinations that are unique for the continent. The movement of humid air flows from the sea to the interior of the Strandzha region is facilitated by rounded mountain ridges, deep ravines and river valleys. Plant life which was widespread across Europe several million years ago during the Tertiary Period has been preserved here up to the present day.

The flora of the Strandzha region differs from European plant formations and closely resembles the Pontic flora of the Caucasus and Asia Minor, with many Tertiary relicts and endemic species that can be detected upon analysis of the pollen spectrum. The Strandzha region contains many protected areas, nature reserves and natural habitats, resulting in a favourable environment for honeybees and beekeeping. Strandzha is recognised as one of the five priority areas for environmental protection in the EU, and is included in the Pan-European ecological network Natura 2000. The region is dominated by oak and beech forests, with the highest proportion of oak forests consisting of Quercus petraea (sessile oak — 47,8 %) and Q. frainetto (Italian/Hungarian oak — 41,8 %), which provide sustenance for the aphids and weevils that produce the honeydew.

The poor soils — brown cinnamonic forest and podzolic yellow earth soils — and the absence of industrial activity restrict the cultivation of agricultural crops whose flowering could adversely influence the quality of the honey.

5.2.   
  Human factors

Beekeeping has always been a common activity in the Strandzha region. It is an age-old livelihood, as testified by the bee skeps and stumps which date from the end of the 19th century till today. The beekeepers manage the following steps in particular to ensure only the honeydew is produced:

Stage I

The bees collect honeydew, mainly from deciduous oak woods, and process it to produce mature honey: ‘Strandzhanski manov med’. During the main foraging period, supers and/or bodies are placed over the brood box to allow the separation of surplus honey.

Stage II

Once the honey in the comb is sufficiently mature, the comb is removed from the hives and transferred to the location where centrifuging takes place.

After centrifuging the honey is filtered, homogenised and clarified in settling tanks for at least 24 hours.

Stage III

The honey is kept in containers intended for the storage of food products. Decanting, packaging and labelling are carried out in clean and suitable premises. Crystallised honey is liquefied by means of heating at a temperature of not more than 42 °C, the temperature reached by the honey in the hive during the honey harvest. Diastatic activity is maintained at this temperature.

5.3.   
  Specificity of the product

The uniqueness of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is mainly due to its physical/chemical, pollen and organoleptic characteristics.

One specific characteristic of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is its particularly high electrical conductivity in comparison with other honeydew honeys — this must exceed 0,95 mS/cm.

The honey is characterised by a high diastase activity (due to the rich enzyme composition as a result of secondary processing done by aphids and weevil) and a low hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content.

These characteristics arise due to the extensive oak forests (covering over 70 % of the region) which, combined with mild temperatures and high air humidity, create the conditions for high surface area of foliage, providing a favourable environment for aphids and weevils. It is their excretions and the secretions of living parts of plants that are collected by bees and transformed into this honey.

The pollen spectrum of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’, including pollen of plants found only in the Strandzha region (see point 3.2), distinguishes it from honey produced elsewhere, which is in itself directly due to the link between the product ‘Strandzhanski manov med’ and the Strandzha massif. Studies of the pollen spectrum have allowed the determination of geographical markers — endemic and Tertiary relict species, which by their presence or frequency of presence in the pollen spectrum determine its geographical borders in the Strandzha region.

It is of particular importance that the apiaries be located in the defined geographical area throughout the year, i.e. they are of the stationary type.

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ has an appreciably darker colour, a specific aroma and a slightly acidic and bitter taste than the nectar-based honey.

5.4.   
  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)

‘Strandzhanski manov med’ is a product closely linked to its region of origin, as a result of the bioecological interdependence and balance between populations of honeydew-producing aphids and weevils, the presence of extensive oak and beech clusters and a typically mild climate. The local forest vegetation provides food for honeydew producers, and the specific mild climate of the Strandzha region (sufficient air humidity, moderate temperatures, mists in spring and summer) favours the secretion of honeydew and its collection by the bees. In the Strandzha region, the main forage for bees during the months of June, July and August is oak honeydew. During the period when honeydew is collected in Strandzha, there are no other abundantly nectariferous species, e.g. clusters of acacia or lime, which would flower and cause the mixing of nectar-based honey with the honeydew honey. The composition of the honeydew which provides sustenance for the bees leads to a higher content of micronutrients and antioxidants in this honey, in comparison to nectar-based honey. The intensity of the colour and the slight acidity and bitterness of the taste are due to the microflora present in the honeydew and the period when it is collected.

The protected status of the Strandzha natural area rules out intensive farming and contributes to the purity of the product. The phytogeography of the Strandzha region is unique in Europe. The pollen of plants typical of or found only in the Strandzha region distinguish the pollen spectrum of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’. Endemic Pontic species, found only along the southern Black Sea coast between Strandzha, the Pontic Mountains and the Caucasus, include Rhododendron ponticum, Daphne pontica, and Ilex colchica, and these contribute to the pollen characteristics of ‘Strandzhanski manov med’. This unique vegetation also influences the organoleptic characteristics and aroma of the honey, underpinning the natural connection between the environment and the product.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

http://www.mzh.government.bg/bg/politiki-i-programi/politiki-i-strategii/politiki-po-agrohranitelnata-veriga/zashiteni-naimenovaniya/zayavlenie-za-znp-strandzhanski-manov-medmanov-med-ot-strandzha/

---

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/17 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/17

---

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 December 2018

on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for registration of a name referred to in Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(‘Paška sol’ (PDO))

(2018/C 449/05)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) thereof,

Whereas:

| (1) | Croatia has sent to the Commission an application for protection of the name ‘Paška sol’ in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. |
| --- | --- |

(1)

Croatia has sent to the Commission an application for protection of the name ‘Paška sol’ in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

| (2) | In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

| (3) | In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation for the name ‘Paška sol’ should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

(3)

In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of that Regulation for the name ‘Paška sol’ should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The single document and the reference to the publication of the product specification referred to in Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 for the name ‘Paška sol’ (PDO) are contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the registration of the name referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 6 December 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

---

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

1

---

ANNEX

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘PAŠKA SOL’

EU No: PDO-HR-02178 — 15.9.2016

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s)

‘Paška sol’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Croatia

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.8. Other products listed in Annex I to the Treaty (spices etc.)

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

Protection of the name ‘Paška sol’ covers two products: fine sea salt and flower of salt.

The fine sea salt ‘Paška sol’ is non-ground sea salt obtained from the sea water of the Pag Bay which continuously pours into an evaporation pool system until it crystallises in the Pag island salt pans. It takes the form of small, regular, cube-shaped crystals which are white in colour and contain minerals and trace elements. Most of the crystals are up to 1 mm in size, so that > 98 % of all crystals can pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 1,3 mm. It has a concentrated, salty, bitter-free taste.

Composition:

| Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%) | > 98,0 |
| --- | --- |
| Water content (%) | < 0,40 |
| Magnesium (%) | 0,02 -0,20 |
| Calcium (%) | 0,01 -0,10 |
| Potassium (%) | > 0,02 |
| Arsenic (mg/kg) | < 0,25 |
| Cadmium (mg/kg) | < 0,25 |
| Lead (mg/kg) | < 0,20 |
| Mercury (mg/kg) | < 0,10 |
| Granulation | The residue on a sieve with a diameter of 1,3 mm is < 2 %, |

Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)

> 98,0

Water content (%)

< 0,40

Magnesium (%)

0,02 -0,20

Calcium (%)

0,01 -0,10

Potassium (%)

> 0,02

Arsenic (mg/kg)

< 0,25

Cadmium (mg/kg)

< 0,25

Lead (mg/kg)

< 0,20

Mercury (mg/kg)

< 0,10

Granulation

The residue on a sieve with a diameter of 1,3 mm is < 2 %,

The flower of salt ‘Paška sol’ is a product of the initial phase of manufacture of fine sea salt, i.e. during the production of concentrated sea water. It has a slightly sweetish taste. Its texture is crunchy and very brittle. It is white to pale yellow in colour owing to high levels of minerals. It has a distinctive flavour, is less salty than cooking salt and contains more natural minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iodine). The granulation of the flower of salt ‘Paška sol’ is coarser than that of the fine sea salt ‘Paška sol’; its crystals have the shape of shells and crumble easily when rubbed between the fingertips.

Composition:

| Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%) | > 97,0 |
| --- | --- |
| Water content (%) | < 2,00 |
| Magnesium (%) | > 0,07 |
| Calcium (%) | 0,02 -0,20 |
| Potassium (%) | > 0,05 |
| Arsenic (mg/kg) | < 0,25 |
| Cadmium (mg/kg) | < 0,25 |
| Lead (mg/kg) | < 0,30 |
| Mercury (mg/kg) | < 0,10 |

Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)

> 97,0

Water content (%)

< 2,00

Magnesium (%)

> 0,07

Calcium (%)

0,02 -0,20

Potassium (%)

> 0,05

Arsenic (mg/kg)

< 0,25

Cadmium (mg/kg)

< 0,25

Lead (mg/kg)

< 0,30

Mercury (mg/kg)

< 0,10

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

—

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

All processes in the production of ‘Paška sol’, from the use of the pool to salt processing (production of saturated sea water, crystallisation, drying and sieving), must take place within the defined geographical area.

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

—

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

—

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Paška sol’ is produced in the salt pans of Pag in the Pag Bay, surrounded from all sides with the land of the Pag island. Pag Bay is connected to the waters of the Velebit Channel by Pag Strait. The Pag salt pans are 3 km from the town of Pag and lie within the administrative boundaries of Zadar County.

5.   Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

The specific characteristics of ‘Paška sol’ result from the climatic conditions of the defined geographical area and the fact that the Pag salt pans are in an isolated location, far from any heavy industry or agricultural activity.

The entire area of the island of Pag is distinctive, primarily because it is an island, and the salt pans are located in the particularly distinctive setting of Pag Bay, surrounded from all sides by the land mass of the island. In addition, transportation of the salt produced out of there is quite easy, as Pag is connected to the mainland by a bridge.

The defined geographical area enjoys a predominantly mild Mediterranean climate with low precipitation and over 2 500 hours of sunshine a year. The mild Mediterranean climate brings dry and hot summers and mild and wet winters.

The ideal geographical location of the Pag island and its salt pans near the mountain Velebit is conditioned by a continuous and rapid exchange of air resulting from the natural flow of the Maestral (a north-westerly wind that blows by day), and the Burin (a north-easterly wind that blows in the early evening and at night). The Maestral is a fresh wind accompanied by stable weather which tempers the sweltering summer heat, whereas the Burin is a weak night wind which blows from the land towards the sea.

The whole vast area on which the Pag salt pans are located and the large shallow cove of Pag Bay which surrounds the salt pans are covered by thick impermeable loam, particularly favourable for the production of ‘Paška sol’.

The distinctiveness of ‘Paška sol’ also comes from human factors. The special techniques and know-how of the ‘vodari’ (as they are referred to by Pag locals) with regard to maintaining salt pools and obtaining brine has been passed on from generation to generation. Through many years of experience, the ‘vodari’ know how to determine the best moment for harvesting the flower of salt without disturbing the balance on the surface of the saturated sea water or brine, and avoid making waves which tear the crystallised ‘crust’ on the surface of the pool, or the crystals of the flower of salt. In this way the flower of salt is prevented from falling to the bottom and being wasted.

Specificity of the product

‘Paška sol’ fine sea salt crystallises under controlled conditions in vacuum evaporators and does not undergo a process of grinding; rather, its specific properties result from its production method which helps the salt preserve all minerals and trace elements present in high-quality sea water. ‘Paška sol’ fine sea salt is completely white, with crystals of a regular cube shape and a granulation of 1,3 mm. It does not undergo a process of grinding, unlike sea salt obtained in the traditional way (crystallisation in pools), which has to be ground, is of uneven granulation, contains various impurities and is yellowish in colour.

‘Paška sol’ flower of salt consists of very small crystals which are natural white to pale yellow in colour owing to natural crystallisation on the surface of the sea in salt ponds under ideal conditions (very sunny and warm weather with no wind and no precipitation). Only the thin upper layer of flaky crystals is harvested or gathered with a traditional hand tool — a net comprising a wooden handle attached to a shovel blade frame covered with a stainless metal mesh with very fine holes. The flower of salt is harvested only over the course of a few hours early in the morning and late in the evening; afterwards, it is dried in the sun. The flower of salt ‘Paška sol’ is very brittle compared to the fine sea salt ‘Paška sol’; it crumbles easily when rubbed between the fingers and has a coarser granulation. It contains higher levels of natural iodine, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Compared with other sea salts that have been researched, the proportion of heavy metals in ‘Paška sol’ is a hundred times lower than permitted, whereas the proportion of minerals is higher than in other salts produced in vacuum evaporators (scientific study, Centre for Marine Research (CMR) of the Ruđer Bošković Institute, 2011, ‘The quality of sea water in Pag Bay’).

The first written records of ‘Paška sol’ production date far back in history. The authors Koludrović and Franić state that ‘Paška sol’ was mentioned as early as in the 9th century: ‘Essential for feeding humans and livestock, the salt began to be traded very early on, with the oldest notarial documents providing details of the buying and selling of “Paška sol”’. (Koludrović A., Franić M., Sol i morske solane (Salt and salt pans), 1954, Zagreb). Usmiani, the author of the book ‘The Pag salt pans — production and trade from 1797 to 1813’, wrote: ‘Venice has always consumed “Paška sol”, since it was white and pure, and great importance was attached to it in the overall trading and financial potential of the region, especially of Pag itself’ (Usmiani A., Paška solana — proizvodnja i trgovina od 1797. do 1813. godine, 1984). The name ‘Paška sol’ has always been used, as evidenced by a variety of historical documents, and is still used in commercial and everyday language (Račun Solane Pag).

Causal link between the product and the geographical area

The elements creating the microclimate of the geographical region of Pag island, the favourable location of the salt pans, the specific method of producing the fine sea salt and flower of salt and several hundred years of tradition of producing salt affect the specific quality of the final product, ‘Paška sol’.

The salt pans or pools lie in the naturally shallow bay of Pag island, where currents are weak. The bottom of the bay is covered with impermeable loam, so, together with permanent winds (the Maestral and the Burin) blowing in the spring and summer months, conditions are favourable for the rapid evaporation of sea water in the pools and for salt panning.

The sea water of Pag Bay is exceptionally pure and well-filtered, as the bottom of Pag Bay is rich in shellfish, which are natural purifiers. Therefore, the sea water has very low values of heavy-metal, well below the Mediterranean Sea average, and much lower than the concentrations used to determine quality standards for the marine environment (scientific study, Centre for Marine Research (CMR) of the Ruđer Bošković Institute, 2011, Kvaliteta mora u Paškom zaljevu (‘The quality of sea water in Pag Bay’)).

The specificity of the method of producing ‘Paška sol’ lies in the fact that saturated sea water, before undergoing a controlled process of crystallisation in vacuum evaporators, rests for a while in accumulation pools. As a result, the saturated sea water does not have any impurities of organic and inorganic origin formed by marine microorganisms or transported by the wind and the birds which would subsequently be deposited on the bottom of the pool. The consequence of this specific method of production is that the controlled crystallisation of salt results in pure crystals, free of all foreign matter of either organic or inorganic origin; they have a regular cube-shaped structure (the crystals do not break), are white, and have a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste.

The specific quality of ‘Paška sol’ is further supported by the fact that the sea water of Pag Bay, from which ‘Paška sol’ is produced, and its marine environment, is of a high quality due to very low values of heavy-metal; scientific research has been conducted on this basis. The Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries discovered through research that values for heavy metals in the sea water of Pag Bay are significantly lower than the average values for heavy metals in the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, ‘Paška sol’ also has considerably lower levels of heavy metals and higher levels of minerals than other types of salt (scientific study, Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries Split, 2009, Kakvoća morske vode u Paškom zaljevu (The quality of sea water in Pag Bay)).

In addition, human actors also ensure the high quality of the final product, as the tradition of producing ‘Paška sol’ fine sea salt and flower of salt is based on skills and many years of experience in maintaining the salt pools and obtaining brine for the final ‘Paška sol’ product.

Reference to publication of the product specification

(Article 6(1), subparagraph 2 of the present Regulation)

http://www.mps.hr/datastore/filestore/82/Izmijenjena-Specifikacija-proizvoda-Paska-sol.pdf

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| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/22 |
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13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/22

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COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 December 2018

on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of an application to amend the specification for a name in the wine sector in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(Graves supérieures (PDO))

(2018/C 449/06)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), and in particular Article 97(3) thereof,

Whereas:

| (1) | France submitted an application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013. |
| --- | --- |

(1)

France submitted an application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

| (2) | The Commission examined that application and found that the conditions laid down in Articles 93 to 96, 97(1), 100, 101 and 102 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 had been met. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

The Commission examined that application and found that the conditions laid down in Articles 93 to 96, 97(1), 100, 101 and 102 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 had been met.

| (3) | In order to allow statements of objection to be submitted in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

(3)

In order to allow statements of objection to be submitted in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union confers the right to oppose the amendment of the specification referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within two months.

Done at Brussels, 6 December 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

---

(1)  OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

1

---

ANNEX

‘GRAVES SUPÉRIEURES’

PDO-FR-A1014-AM02

Date of submission of the application: 7 March 2016

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OF THE SPECIFICATION

1.   Rules applicable to the amendment

Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 — Non-minor amendment

2.   Description of and reasons for the amendment

2.1.   
  Geographical area

Chapter I, section IV, point 1 of the specification is amended as follows:

| — | The following words are added after the word ‘Virelade’: ‘and in the part of the municipality of Coimères corresponding to section A “des Herrères” of the first page of the land register (1934 revised plan) certified to be in accordance with the updated land register on 5 November 2010’. The purpose of this amendment is to include within the geographical area a part of the municipality of Coimères where similar vine training methods and a very similar planting area – in terms of landscape, topography, hydrology, geology and soil – to that of the neighbouring vineyards covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ designation have long been used in wine production. This part of the municipality of Coimères is located immediately next to the geographical area covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ PDO.
  The request to incorporate the municipality of Coimères was lodged in 1938 just after national recognition had been granted to the designation, after it was pointed out by an operator at that time that the municipality had been overlooked. Despite successive decisions by national bodies approving the inclusion of the municipality in the geographical area covered by the designation, the decision was never subsequently incorporated into official texts. The reason for including this municipality now is simply to rectify its omission many years ago. |
| --- | --- |

—

The following words are added after the word ‘Virelade’: ‘and in the part of the municipality of Coimères corresponding to section A “des Herrères” of the first page of the land register (1934 revised plan) certified to be in accordance with the updated land register on 5 November 2010’. The purpose of this amendment is to include within the geographical area a part of the municipality of Coimères where similar vine training methods and a very similar planting area – in terms of landscape, topography, hydrology, geology and soil – to that of the neighbouring vineyards covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ designation have long been used in wine production. This part of the municipality of Coimères is located immediately next to the geographical area covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ PDO.

The request to incorporate the municipality of Coimères was lodged in 1938 just after national recognition had been granted to the designation, after it was pointed out by an operator at that time that the municipality had been overlooked. Despite successive decisions by national bodies approving the inclusion of the municipality in the geographical area covered by the designation, the decision was never subsequently incorporated into official texts. The reason for including this municipality now is simply to rectify its omission many years ago.

| — | The words ‘Martignas-sur-Jalle’ and ‘Saint-Jean-d'Illac’ are deleted. The purpose of this amendment is to exclude the municipalities of Martignas-sur-Jalle and Saint-Jean-d'Illac from the geographical area as wine production no longer takes place there and no vineyards or parcels covered by the PDO are situated in those municipalities.
  Point 6 of the Single Document has been amended accordingly. |
| --- | --- |

—

The words ‘Martignas-sur-Jalle’ and ‘Saint-Jean-d'Illac’ are deleted. The purpose of this amendment is to exclude the municipalities of Martignas-sur-Jalle and Saint-Jean-d'Illac from the geographical area as wine production no longer takes place there and no vineyards or parcels covered by the PDO are situated in those municipalities.

Point 6 of the Single Document has been amended accordingly.

2.2.   
  Demarcated parcel area

In chapter I, section IV, point 2 of the specification, after the words ‘of 10 February 2011’, the following words are added: ‘and of its standing committee of 4 September 2013, by delegation of the national committee’. The purpose of this amendment is to add the date on which the competent national authority approved a modification of the demarcated parcel area within the geographical area of production. Parcels are demarcated by identifying the parcels within the geographical area of production that are suitable for producing the protected designation of origin in question.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

2.3.   
  Total alcoholic strength by volume

Chapter I, section IX, point 1(e) of the specification is amended as follows:

‘For wines with the “Graves supérieures” protected designation of origin, enrichment by means of dry sugaring or rectified concentrated must not lead to a total alcoholic strength by volume after enrichment of more than 15 %. Enrichment by partial concentration of musts to be used in wine production is permitted, subject to a 10 % concentration limit for the volumes enriched using this method. The total alcoholic strength by volume may be increased to 19 % vol.’

The above provisions are in line with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Annex VII, Part II, point 1 of which states that ‘the upper limit for the total alcoholic strength may exceed 15 % vol. for wines with a protected designation of origin which have been obtained without enrichment, or enriched only by partial concentration processes listed in point 1 of Section B of Part I of Annex VIII, provided that the product specification in the technical file of the protected designation of origin concerned allows for that possibility’.

The possibility of increasing the total alcoholic strength by volume to 19 % for fortified wines was added in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 by Regulation (EU) 2017/2393. The purpose of this amendment is to consolidate the product specification, taking account of the fact that ‘Graves supérieures’ wines obtained from overripe grapes may reach a high alcoholic strength and that the legislation requires this to be set out in the specification.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

2.4.   
  Link to the origin

Link to the origin

In chapter I, section X, point 1, third indent of the specification, the number ‘43’ is replaced by ‘42’. This change reflects the correction made to the number of municipalities making up the geographical area following the removal of two municipalities (Martignas-sur-Jalle and Saint-Jean-d'Illac) and the addition of part of the municipality of Coimères.

The ‘Link to the origin’ section of the Single Document has been amended accordingly.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   Name

Name

‘Graves supérieures’

2.   Type of geographical indication

Type of geographical indication

PDO — Protected designation of origin

3.   Categories of grapevine products

Categories of grapevine products

| 1. | Wine |
| --- | --- |

1.

Wine

4.   Description of the wine(s)

Description of the wine(s)

Still white wines with residual sugars obtained from overripe grapes harvested by hand in successive selections, based on the Semillon B variety which produces round, full-bodied wines with a golden colour and aromas of candied fruit. Any blending with the Sauvignon B and Muscadelle B varieties adds a note of freshness.

Minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume: 13,5 %.

Fermentable sugar content (G+F): at least 34 g/l.

The other analytical criteria are in line with EU rules.

General analytical characteristics

| Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) | |
| --- | --- |
| Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) | 12 |
| Minimum total acidity | In milliequivalents per litre |
| Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) | 25 |
| Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre) | |

Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)

Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)

12

Minimum total acidity

In milliequivalents per litre

Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)

25

Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5.   Wine-making practices

Wine-making practices

a.   
  Essential oenological practices

Essential oenological practices

Density and distance

Density and distance

Growing method

The minimum vine planting density is 5 000 plants per hectare.

The spacing between the vine rows must not exceed 2 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,8 metres.

Pruning rules

Pruning rules

Growing method

Pruning is carried out at the unfolded leaves stage (Lorenz stage 9) at the latest.

Vines are pruned with a maximum of 12 buds per plant, using the following techniques:

| — | ‘short’ (or spur) pruning or ‘shoot’ (or long) pruning; |
| --- | --- |

—

‘short’ (or spur) pruning or ‘shoot’ (or long) pruning;

| — | short pruning to two cordons, or fan pruning to four arms. |
| --- | --- |

—

short pruning to two cordons, or fan pruning to four arms.

Grape harvest

Grape harvest

Wine-making restriction

The wines are made from overripe grapes (presence of noble rot and/or raisining on the plant) harvested by hand in successive selections.

Enrichment

Enrichment

Specific oenological practice

Enrichment is permitted as set out in the product specification.

b.   
  Maximum yields

Maximum yields

48 hectolitres per hectare

6.   Demarcated area

Demarcated area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made, developed and aged in the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Gironde: Arbanats, Ayguemortes-les-Graves, Beautiran, Bègles, La Brède, Budos, Cabanac-Villagrains, Cadaujac, Canéjan, Castres-Gironde, Cérons, Cestas, Eysines, Gradignan, Guillos, Le Haillan, Illats, Isle-Saint-Georges, Landiras, Langon, Léogeats, Léognan, Martillac, Mazères, Mérignac, Pessac, Podensac, Portets, Pujols-sur-Ciron, Roaillan, Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans, Saint-Michel-de-Rieufret, Saint-Morillon, Saint-Pardon-de-Conques, Saint-Pierre-de-Mons, Saint-Selve, Saucats, Talence, Toulenne, Villenave-d'Ornon and Virelade, and in the part of the municipality of Coimères corresponding to section A ‘des Herrères’ of the first page of the land register (1934 revised plan) certified to be in accordance with the updated land register on 5 November 2010.

7.   Main wine grapes

Main wine grapes

| | Muscadelle B |
| --- | --- |

Muscadelle B

| | Sauvignon B |
| --- | --- |

Sauvignon B

| | Sauvignon gris G |
| --- | --- |

Sauvignon gris G

| | Semillon B |
| --- | --- |

Semillon B

8.   Description of the link(s)

Description of the link(s)

The geographical area of the ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin is a strip some 10 km wide situated on the left bank of the Garonne, beginning north of Bordeaux and ending south-east of Langon.

As the name suggests, the ‘Graves supérieures’ area is characterised by soils made up of shingles, pebbles, largely coarse gravel and sand mixed with silt and clay, in places on a base of calcareous rock but generally on pure sand, iron-rich sandstone (alios) or clay. The area spans 42 municipalities of the Gironde department.

These soils are the result of a long and complex geological history, closely linked to the origins of the Garonne, changes in its course and successive glacial periods during the quaternary era. During those periods Pyrenees glaciers eroded valleys, creating gravel and boulders which rivers would then carry downstream to the Bordeaux region. Gravel hillocks of all types and sizes are the only remaining traces of these successive deposits.

The soils which have since formed there are all highly permeable owing to their high gravel and shingle content. ‘Graves supérieures’ wines owe their structure and image of excellence above all to these characteristic soils, among others. By encouraging the flow of water, the slopes ensure perfect surface drainage, also supported by a large hydrographic network made up of small streams, tributaries of the Garonne. In these types of soil, the vines' water supply is strictly regulated.

The vineyards benefit from a special and favourable climate, since they are protected from harsh weather to the west by pine forests playing an important role in regulating the temperature and from high temperatures and excess humidity thanks to the proximity of the Garonne, ensuring aeration and natural ventilation. They also benefit from oceanic influences which help to mitigate spring frost. The area's vineyard landscapes, consisting of gentle slopes where bright, polished pebbles reflect light onto the grapes, are set between the river and pine forests.

Home to the great white and red wines of Bordeaux, the ‘Graves supérieures’ area is the birthplace of techniques still used to this day. In this oceanic climate, vine growing has required the use of échalas (support poles) since the 17th and 18th centuries, followed by widespread trellising and a severe pruning method to ensure a well distributed grape harvest and sufficient leaf area for photosynthesis and optimum ripeness.

échalas

In line with the traditional methods, the parcel area selected for the harvesting of grapes consists of parcels with natural drainage resulting from either their drainage quality or their position on a hilltop or slope. It excludes locations that are subject to spring frost for reasons of geography or topography, either because they are too far from the Garonne to benefit from the river's heat-regulating effect, or because they are encircled by forest blocking the flow of cold air masses.

The precisely defined parcels ensure optimum development of the local vine varieties which have been selected over time for their keeping and ageing qualities, allowing the wines to be transported over long distances.

Wines with the ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin are exclusively white wines with residual sugars obtained from overripe grapes harvested by hand in successive selections. They are based on the Semillon B variety which produces round, full-bodied wines with a golden colour and aromas of candied fruit. The geographical area of the designation enjoys a climate which is particularly favourable to this harvesting technique. Blending with the Sauvignon B and Muscadelle B grape varieties, harvested using the same techniques, adds a note of freshness to the wines. This freshness also reflects the nature of the sandy soils or clayey matrix on which the parcels covered by the designation are planted, giving these wines with residual sugar a good balance, finesse and floral and fruity notes. Well suited to a few years of ageing, the wines can also be enjoyed young.

The minimum planting density is high so as to ensure an adequate harvest without overloading the vines, thereby guaranteeing the grapes' ripeness and optimum fruit concentration.

The ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin acquired international renown thanks to the nearby Port of Bordeaux, where a busy trade developed to market the wines across the globe, and to the unique geographical and soil conditions of the wine-making area.

9.   Essential further conditions

Essential further conditions

Area in immediate proximity

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Type of further condition:

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

Description of the condition:

The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for the making, development and ageing of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities of the department of Gironde: Barsac, Beguey, Bieujac, Bommes, Cadillac, Castets en Dorthe, Fargues, Langoiran, Loupiac, Le Pian sur Garonne, Preignac, Rions, Saint-Loubert, Saint-Maixant, Saint-Pierre-d'Aurillac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont and Sauternes.

Broader geographical unit

Broader geographical unit

Legal framework:

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Description of the condition:

Wines with this protected designation of origin may specify on their labels the broader geographical unit ‘Vin de Graves’.

The size of the letters used for this broader geographical unit must not be larger, either in height or width, than two thirds of the size of the letters forming the name of the protected designation of origin.

10.   Link to the product specification

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-d7275bf9-c6c4-43be-8478-caaef27859df

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| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/28 |
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13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/28

---

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 December 2018

on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO)

(2018/C 449/07)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) in conjunction with Article 53(2) thereof,

Whereas:

| (1) | Italy has sent an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification of ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. |
| --- | --- |

(1)

Italy has sent an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification of ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

| (2) | In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation. |
| --- | --- |

(2)

In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

| (3) | In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 (2), including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO) should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, |
| --- | --- |

(3)

In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 (2), including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO) should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ (PDO) is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the amendment referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 6 December 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

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

1

(2)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 of 13 June 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 36).

2

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ANNEX

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

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

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’

EU No: PDO-IT-00644-AM02 — 10.5.2018

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest

| Consorzio di tutela della Liquirizia di Calabria DOP (Liquirizia di Calabria PDO Protection Association) |
| --- |
| Corso Luigi Fera, 79 |
| 87100 Cosenza |
| ITALIA |
| liquiriziadicalabria.dop@pecimpresa.it |

Consorzio di tutela della Liquirizia di Calabria DOP (Liquirizia di Calabria PDO Protection Association)

Corso Luigi Fera, 79

87100 Cosenza

ITALIA

liquiriziadicalabria.dop@pecimpresa.it

The Consorzio di tutela della Liquirizia di Calabria DOP is entitled to submit an amendment application in accordance with Article 13(1) of Decree No 12511 of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy of 14 October 2013.

2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy

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

| — | ☐ | Product name |
| --- | --- | --- |
| — | ☒ | Product description |
| — | ☐ | Geographical area |
| — | ☐ | Proof of origin |
| — | ☒ | Production method |
| — | ☐ | Link |
| — | ☐ | Labelling |
| — | ☒ | Other [Inspection body; updating of references to legislation] |

—

☐

Product name

—

☒

Product description

—

☐

Geographical area

—

☐

Proof of origin

—

☒

Production method

—

☐

Link

—

☐

Labelling

—

☒

Other [Inspection body; updating of references to legislation]

4.   Type of amendment(s)

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

—

☒

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

—

☐

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

5.   Amendment(s)

Description of product

Article 2 of the product specification — Point 3.2 of the Single Document

| — | For the fresh root variety, the following values:






  ‘— | Moisture: between 48 % and 52 %, |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

For the fresh root variety, the following values:

‘—

Moisture: between 48 % and 52 %,

| — | Glycyrrhizin: between 0,60 % and 1,40 %’ |
| --- | --- |

—

Glycyrrhizin: between 0,60 % and 1,40 %’

have been amended as follows:

| ‘— | Moisture: ≤ 52 %, |
| --- | --- |

‘—

Moisture: ≤ 52 %,

| — | Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 1,40 %’ |
| --- | --- |

—

Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 1,40 %’

The amendment aims to include within ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO liquorice of the fresh root variety whose moisture levels and glycyrrhizin content are below the minimum limit formerly prescribed.

The amendment of moisture levels for the fresh root variety is linked to the extreme variability of climate conditions, which affect the moisture of liquorice roots at the time of harvest. For this reason, it was deemed appropriate to remove the minimum value for moisture, while leaving the permitted maximum percentage unchanged.

The glycyrrhizin content amendment aims to include within ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO those specimens of fresh root with a glycyrrhizin content lower than 0,60 %. This amendment is in line with the specific character of the product, which distinguishes itself on the market by its lower levels of glycyrrhizin compared with liquorice roots grown in other regions.

| — | For the dried root variety, the following values:






  ‘— | Moisture: between 6 % and 12 %, |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

For the dried root variety, the following values:

‘—

Moisture: between 6 % and 12 %,

| — | Glycyrrhizin: between 1,2 % and 2,4 %’ |
| --- | --- |

—

Glycyrrhizin: between 1,2 % and 2,4 %’

have been amended as follows:

| ‘— | Moisture: ≤ 12 %, |
| --- | --- |

‘—

Moisture: ≤ 12 %,

| — | Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 5 % of dry matter’ |
| --- | --- |

—

Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 5 % of dry matter’

The amendment aims to include within ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO those specimens of dried root with humidity levels lower than the minimum limit formerly prescribed. It also aims to redefine the glycyrrhizin content, replacing a range of values with a single maximum permitted value, calculated as a percentage of dry matter.

The request to amend the moisture limit stems from the fact that moisture levels in dried root are strongly linked to environmental and process conditions, as well as packaging and storage methods. Therefore, a restriction based on the minimum level of moisture puts unnecessary limitations on the production system for ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’.

The glycyrrhizin limit needs to be amended in order for it to be consistent with the reported data about fresh root. Experimental evidence has shown that the glycyrrhizin value given in the existing specification for dried root is not in line with the prescribed levels for fresh root. This error needs to be rectified in order for the information given in the product specification to be correct.

The introduction of a single maximum permitted value for glycyrrhizin, and of an increase in that value, does not invalidate the information about the product’s specific character contained in the single document and on which the registration of the designation ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ is based. The maximum content of glycyrrhizic acid in roots themselves — from which dried root is derived — is still in line with the existing value of 1,40 %, which is not being changed.

| — | For the root extract variety, the following value:






  ‘— | Glycyrrhizin content: between 3 % and 6 %’ |
| --- | --- | --- |

—

For the root extract variety, the following value:

‘—

Glycyrrhizin content: between 3 % and 6 %’

has been amended as follows:

| ‘— | Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 6 % of dry matter’ |
| --- | --- |

‘—

Glycyrrhizin: ≤ 6 % of dry matter’

Besides specifying that glycyrrhizin levels should be calculated as a percentage of dry matter, the amendment takes into account the results of a recent study conducted as part of a project financed by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research using funds from NOP R&C 2007-2013 and based on data from the last 17 years. The study revealed that in the last 17 years the concentration of glycyrrhizic acid in liquorice root extract produced in Calabria has progressively decreased.

Therefore, it was deemed appropriate to remove the minimum glycyrrhizin value laid down in the product specification. The amendment further confirms the specific character of the geographical area of cultivation, which allows ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO to stand out thanks to its clearly lower glycyrrhizin content compared with liquorice grown in other areas.

Method of production

Article 5 of the product specification

The following sentence:

‘This process takes place in open, sunlit, well-ventilated spaces, in closed but still well-ventilated spaces, or in ventilated ovens. Care is taken not to subject the product to temperatures over 50 °C, which would alter its characteristics.’

is amended as follows:

‘This process takes place in open, sunlit, well-ventilated spaces, in closed but still well-ventilated spaces, or in ventilated ovens and special dryers. Care is taken not to subject the product to temperatures over 60 °C, which would alter its characteristics’.

The possibility has also been added to broaden the drying process to include the new generation of dryers (solar ones), in order to keep the product specification up to date with new food technology.

The amendments made in this article further specify the temperature limit for drying liquorice roots before they are placed on the market, in order to guarantee the quality of the product and the health of the plants.

Regarding the latter point, it should be noted that liquorice roots dried and stored in warehouses and sometimes on market stalls can be attacked by the furniture beetle, Anobium punctatum.

Anobium punctatum

Specific studies have been conducted on ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ with the twofold aim of monitoring the active substances at 30 °C, 40 °C, 50 °C and 60 °C to guarantee the quality of the product, and identifying the ideal temperature limit and maximum exposure time for killing the parasites mentioned above.

The results of the research showed that drying liquorice roots at temperatures up to 60 °C does not result in specific changes in their composition that could affect the quality of the product. The study demonstrated that the parasites are most tolerant to heat in the larval stage, but that even very brief exposures (5 mins) to temperatures over 52 °C lead to death in 100 % of larvae. Such an outcome is necessary to prevent beetles developing again from larvae in batches placed on the market.

Other

Other

Inspection body

Inspection body

The name, address and contact details of the inspection body accountable for checking the product specification have been included in Article 7 of the product specification.

Updating of legal references

Updating of legal references

References to Regulation (EEC) No 510/2006 have been replaced with references to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’

EU No: PDO-IT-00644-AM02 — 10.5.2018

EU No: PDO-IT-00644-AM02 — 10.5.2018

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1.   Name

Name

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Member State or Third Country

Italy

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   
  Type of product

Type of product

Class 1.8. Other products of Annex I to the Treaty (spices etc.)

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

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

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

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ Protected Designation of Origin is reserved exclusively for fresh or dried liquorice and its extract. This liquorice must come from cultivated or wild Glycyrrhiza glabra plants (family: Leguminosae), specifically the ‘typica’ variety known in Calabria as ‘Cordara’.

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Leguminosae

When released for consumption ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO must have the following characteristics:

fresh root:

fresh root:

| — | colour: straw yellow, |
| --- | --- |

—

colour: straw yellow,

| — | flavour: sweet, aromatic, intense and lasting, |
| --- | --- |

—

flavour: sweet, aromatic, intense and lasting,

| — | moisture: ≤ 52 %, |
| --- | --- |

—

moisture: ≤ 52 %,

| — | glycyrrhizin: ≤ 1,40 %; |
| --- | --- |

—

glycyrrhizin: ≤ 1,40 %;

dried root:

dried root:

| — | colour: straw yellow to ochre yellow, |
| --- | --- |

—

colour: straw yellow to ochre yellow,

| — | flavour: sweet, fruity and slightly astringent, |
| --- | --- |

—

flavour: sweet, fruity and slightly astringent,

| — | moisture content: ≤ 12 %, |
| --- | --- |

—

moisture content: ≤ 12 %,

| — | glycyrrhizin: ≤ 5 % of dry matter; |
| --- | --- |

—

glycyrrhizin: ≤ 5 % of dry matter;

root extract:

root extract:

| — | colour: dark terracotta brown to black, |
| --- | --- |

—

colour: dark terracotta brown to black,

| — | flavour: bittersweet, aromatic, intense and lasting, |
| --- | --- |

—

flavour: bittersweet, aromatic, intense and lasting,

| — | moisture: between 9 % and 15 %, |
| --- | --- |

—

moisture: between 9 % and 15 %,

| — | glycyrrhizin: ≤ 6 % of dry matter |
| --- | --- |

—

glycyrrhizin: ≤ 6 % of dry matter

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

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

—

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

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

All production stages, from growing to harvesting, as well as drying and processing, must take place in the area defined in point 4.

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

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

‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO is marketed in packaging made of cardboard, glass, metal, ceramic, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene and all materials permitted under the laws in force concerning the packaging of foodstuffs. Packages may weigh between 5 g and 25 kg. All packages must be sealed in such a way that opening the package breaks the seal.

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

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

The label must feature the logo of the designation, the serial number assigned by the inspection body and the date of packaging of the products contained in the individual packages. The logo of ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO is a stylised rhombus with equal sides and 90 ° angles. The minimum printing size of the whole logo is 0,5 cm high and wide. The logo may be printed in any colour.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area for ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ includes all the municipalities set out in detail in the production specification, where Glycyrrhiza glabra plants of the ‘typica’ variety, known in Calabria as ‘Cordara’, grow wild or are cultivated, up to an altitude of 650 m above sea level. The area is bounded to the north and separated from the Basilicata region by the Pollino Massif, which slopes down gently to Rocca Imperiale in the northeast. The area covers the lands in the Crati Valley on the right and left banks of the river, which runs south to north and flows into the Ionian Sea to the northeast after crossing the Sibari Plain. On the Tyrrhenian side, the areas included are those which, moving from north to south, are situated between the municipalities of Falconara Albanese and Nicotera. On the Ionian side, the areas included, starting from the north, comprise the broad Sibari Plain in Crotone province and reach as far as Calabria’s furthest tip.

Glycyrrhiza glabra

5.   Link with the geographical area

Link with the geographical area

Historically the production area for liquorice was coastal Calabria, in particular the main area comprising the municipalities of Villapiana, Cerchiara di Calabria, Cassano Ionio-Sibari, Corigliano Calabro and Rossano, all in the Sibari plain. This was due to the natural condition of the plain’s soils, which are stony, contain siliceous substances and have a neutral pH. The climate of the Sibari Plain, where most liquorice production is still concentrated, produces favourable conditions for the plant to grow widely, owing to the proximity of the mountains and a lack of winds due to the natural barrier of the surrounding Pollino and Sila Massifs. The liquorice plants grow wild and are cultivated along the coasts. They range from the plains on the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Lamezia Terme, Falerna, Nocera Tirenese, etc.) and the Ionian Sea (Crotone, Isola Capo Rizzuto, Chiaravalle, Badolato, Roccella Ionica, etc.) to the hilly inland areas. By way of Calabria’s main river valleys, they reach these uplands, which, thanks to their specific configuration, enjoy the beneficial effects of the sea. This means that the liquorice is present with the same characteristics even at a distance of some kilometres from the coast.

The climate, which is decidedly Mediterranean, with long, hot, dry summers and mild winters, means that the ‘typica’ (‘Cordara’) variety of Glychyrrhiza glabra is evenly spread throughout the area in question.

Glychyrrhiza glabra

Compared with chemically and physically similar varieties, ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ PDO is decidedly different in that it contains secondary metabolites, including glycyrrhizin, the active substance behind its commercial and pharmacognostic qualities. Glycyrrhizin is a saponin present in ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ in percentages on average lower than those in similar species and varieties. This is why the product is in demand on the market. The findings of recent studies have further highlighted the difference between ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ and liquorice from neighbouring regions as regards its glycyrrhizic acid content (which, as stated, is distinctly lower than that found in roots from other regions) as well as its lower sugar content. Another study, carried out into the volatile fraction of the root, showed a clear difference between the composition of ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ and that of liquorices from other parts of Italy and from abroad. Lastly, a comparison with liquorice extracts from other countries showed that the phenolic compounds present in ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ differed in quality and quantity.

In particular, it revealed very small percentages of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin, but significant percentages of licochalcone A, which in other samples is either absent or present in combination with licochalcone B.

Calabria is a region with totally unique characteristics as compared to the rest of Italy, owing to its configuration and topography. The furthest extension of the Italian peninsula, Calabria is itself a long, narrow peninsula with 800 km of coastline, in some ways comparable with Puglia but in others completely different from it.

Calabria is split lengthways by high Apennine mountain chains, a feature which is unique among Italian regions. Calabria’s configuration and topography are responsible for its biological, soil and climate conditions, which make it unique and distinctive within Italy in terms of average temperatures, temperature range, humidity, rainfall, wind, sunshine, solar radiation and therefore soil temperature. These factors have been amply demonstrated in numerous scientific studies.

Over the centuries, this distinctive habitat has put strong selective pressure on the species to adapt, influencing its composition and nutritional and aromatic qualities to create a specific chemotype, ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’.

This particular type of liquorice is identified with the Calabria region and was already well known in the 17th century, as attested to by many documents, including the famous Trattato di terapeutica e farmacologia, Vol. I (1903). This text states that ‘The species from which it originates is Glycyrrhiza glabra (Leguminosae, Papillonaceae), native to south-west Europe. The medicinal root is sometimes known as Calabrian liquorice (Liquirizia di Calabria) to distinguish it from Russian liquorice, which is lighter in colour and produced from Glycyrrhiza glandulifera or echinata, found in southeast Europe’. In addition, the fourteenth edition of the famous Encyclopaedia Britannica (1928) states that ‘The preparation of the juice is a widely extended industry along the Mediterranean coast but the quality best appreciated in Great Britain is Made in Calabria’. The Encyclopaedia Britannica’s assessment is supported by a US Department of State report entitled ‘The Licorice Plant’ (1985).

Trattato di terapeutica e farmacologia, Vol. I

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Leguminosae, Papillonaceae

Glycyrrhiza glandulifera

echinata

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Encyclopaedia Britannica

The designation ‘Liquirizia di Calabria’ refers to a complex ‘product’ which is the result of interaction with human activities that have been handed down over the centuries and attained the status of a Calabrian tradition. This much is evident from Saint-Non’s painting of the late 18th century, Vincenzo Padula’s Stato delle persone in Calabria — I concari (1864), the SVIMEZ (Association for the Development of Industry in Southern Italy) document Piante officinali in Calabria: presupposti e prospettive (1951), Pece e liquirizia nei casali cosentini del Settecento: forma d’industrie e forze di lavoro (Augusto Placanica, 1980), I ‘Conci’ e la produzione del succo di liquerizia in Calabria (Gennaro Matacena, 1986), La dolce industria. Conci e liquirizia in provincia di Cosenza dal XVIII al XX secolo (Vittorio Marzi et al., 1991), and many other texts published between 1700 and 2000. In the second half of the 18th century, liquorice growing in Calabria extended all along the Ionian coast, in particular along the northern border with Basilicata and on the vast Sibari Plain, where it grew abundantly, as far as Crotone and Reggio Calabria. However, it was also abundant in the Crati Valley, which runs from Cosenza to the Sibari Plain, as well as along wide stretches of the Tyrrhenian coast.

Stato delle persone in Calabria — I concari

Piante officinali in Calabria: presupposti e prospettive (1951), Pece e liquirizia nei casali cosentini del Settecento: forma d’industrie e forze di lavoro

‘Conci’ e la produzione del succo di liquerizia in Calabria

La dolce industria. Conci e liquirizia in provincia di Cosenza dal XVIII al XX secolo

Reference to publication of the specification

Reference to publication of the specification

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

The full text of the product specification is available on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

---

NOTICES CONCERNING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA

EFTA Surveillance Authority

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/35 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/35

---

EFTA Surveillance Authority notice on state aid recovery interest rates and reference/discount rates for the EFTA States applicable as from 1 December 2018

(Published in accordance with the rules on reference and discount rates set out in Part VII of the Authority’s State Aid Guidelines and Article 10 of the Authority’s Decision No 195/04/COL of 14 July 2004 (1)
  )

(2018/C 449/08)

Base rates are calculated in accordance with the Chapter on the method for setting reference and discount rates of the Authority’s State Aid Guidelines as amended by the Authority’s Decision No 788/08/COL of 17 December 2008. To obtain the applicable reference rates, appropriate margins shall be added to the base rate in accordance with the State Aid Guidelines.

Base rates have been determined as follows:

| | Iceland | Liechtenstein | Norway |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1.7.2017 – 31.8.2017 | 6,18 | -0,50 | 1,08 |
| 1.9.2017 – 30.11.2017 | 5,20 | -0,50 | 1,08 |
| 1.12.2017 – 31.12.2017 | 5,20 | -0,50 | 0,89 |
| 1.1.2018 – 30.4.2018 | 4,84 | -0,52 | 0,88 |
| 1.5.2018 – 30.11.2018 | 4,84 | -0,52 | 1,04 |
| 1.12.2018 – 31.12.2018 | 4,84 | -0,52 | 1,20 |

Iceland

Liechtenstein

Norway

1.7.2017 – 31.8.2017

6,18

-0,50

1,08

1.9.2017 – 30.11.2017

5,20

-0,50

1,08

1.12.2017 – 31.12.2017

5,20

-0,50

0,89

1.1.2018 – 30.4.2018

4,84

-0,52

0,88

1.5.2018 – 30.11.2018

4,84

-0,52

1,04

1.12.2018 – 31.12.2018

4,84

-0,52

1,20

---

(1)  OJ L 139, 25.5.2006, p. 37 and EEA Supplement No 26, 25.5.2006, p. 1.

---

V Announcements

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON COMMERCIAL POLICY

European Commission

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/36 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/36

---

Notice concerning the anti-dumping duty in force on imports of ceramic tiles originating in the People’s Republic of China: name change of one company subject to the anti-dumping duty rate for cooperating non-sampled companies

(2018/C 449/09)

Imports of ceramic tiles originating in the People’s Republic of China are subject to a definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2179 (1).

Tianjin (TEDA) Honghui Industry & Trade Co. Ltd, TARIC additional code B221, a company subject to the anti-dumping duty rate for cooperating non-sampled companies of 30,6 %, informed the Commission that it had changed its name as set out below.

The company asked the Commission to confirm that the change of name does not affect the right of the company to benefit from the individual duty rate applied to the company under its previous name.

The Commission has examined the information supplied and concluded that the change of name in no way affects the findings of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2179.

Therefore, the reference in the Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2179 to:

| Tianjin (TEDA) Honghui Industry & Trade Co. Ltd | B221 |
| --- | --- |

Tianjin (TEDA) Honghui Industry & Trade Co. Ltd

B221

should be read as

| Tianjin Honghui Creative Technology Co., Ltd | B221 |
| --- | --- |

Tianjin Honghui Creative Technology Co., Ltd

B221

The TARIC additional code B221 previously attributed to Tianjin (TEDA) Honghui Industry & Trade Co. Ltd shall apply to Tianjin Honghui Creative Technology Co., Ltd.

---

(1)  OJ L 307, 23.11.2017, p. 25.

---

PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION POLICY

European Commission

| 13.12.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 449/37 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

13.12.2018

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 449/37

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.9206 — Equistone Partners Europe/Courir)

Candidate case for simplified procedure

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2018/C 449/10)

1.

This notification concerns the following undertakings:

| — | Equistone Partners Europe S.A.S (‘EPE SAS’, France), |
| --- | --- |

—

Equistone Partners Europe S.A.S (‘EPE SAS’, France),

| — | Courir France S.A.S (‘Courir’, France). |
| --- | --- |

—

Courir France S.A.S (‘Courir’, France).

EPE SAS acquires within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation sole control of the whole of Courir.

The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.

2.

| — | EPE SAS is an investment firm established in the form of a simplified joint stock company with investments in companies with enterprise values of between EUR 50 and 500 million, |
| --- | --- |

—

EPE SAS is an investment firm established in the form of a simplified joint stock company with investments in companies with enterprise values of between EUR 50 and 500 million,

| — | Courir is active on retail of footwear and to a lesser extent of sportswear and accessories in specialised stores. |
| --- | --- |

—

Courir is active on retail of footwear and to a lesser extent of sportswear and accessories in specialised stores.

3.

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 the Notice.

4.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:

M.9206 — Equistone Partners Europe/Courir

Observations can be sent to the Commission by email, by fax, or by post. Please use the contact details below:

| E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu |
| --- |
| Fax +32 22964301 |
| Postal address: |
| European Commission |
| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

E-mail: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu

Fax +32 22964301

Postal 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’).

1

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.

2

---