# Official Journal C 296/2012

| | ISSN 1977-091X
  doi:10.3000/1977091X.C_2012.296.eng |
| --- | --- |
| Official Journal
  of the European Union | C 296 |
| | |
| English edition | Information and Notices | Volume 552 October 2012 |

ISSN 1977-091X

doi:10.3000/1977091X.C_2012.296.eng

Official Journal

of the European Union

C 296

English edition

Information and Notices

Volume 552 October 2012

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| Notice No | Contents | page |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | II   Information |
| | INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | European Commission |
| 2012/C 296/01 | Communication on the publication of the amounts of raw milk production as referred to in Article 126c(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 | 1 |
| 2012/C 296/02 | Commission communication concerning the prolongation of the application of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty of 1 October 2004 | 3 |
| 2012/C 296/03 | Communication from the Commission relating to the overall allocation of certain quotas opened by the European Union for products in the rice sector in 2012 | 4 |

Notice No

Contents

page

II   Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2012/C 296/01

Communication on the publication of the amounts of raw milk production as referred to in Article 126c(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007

1

2012/C 296/02

Commission communication concerning the prolongation of the application of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty of 1 October 2004

3

2012/C 296/03

Communication from the Commission relating to the overall allocation of certain quotas opened by the European Union for products in the rice sector in 2012

4

| | IV   Notices |
| --- | --- |
| | NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES |
| | European Commission |
| 2012/C 296/04 | Euro exchange rates | 5 |

IV   Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

2012/C 296/04

Euro exchange rates

5

| | V   Announcements |
| --- | --- |
| | ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES |
| | European Commission |
| 2012/C 296/05 | Call for proposals under the 2013 Ideas work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities | 6 |
| 2012/C 296/06 | Calls for proposals under the 2013 work programme People of the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities | 7 |
| 2012/C 296/07 | Call for proposals under the work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities | 8 |
| | OTHER ACTS |
| | European Commission |
| 2012/C 296/08 | Publication of an application pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs | 9 |

V   Announcements

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

European Commission

2012/C 296/05

Call for proposals under the 2013 Ideas work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

6

2012/C 296/06

Calls for proposals under the 2013 work programme People of the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

7

2012/C 296/07

Call for proposals under the work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

8

OTHER ACTS

European Commission

2012/C 296/08

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

9

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

EN

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II Information

INFORMATION FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/1 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/1

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Communication on the publication of the amounts of raw milk production as referred to in Article 126c(5) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (1)

2012/C 296/01

| Amounts of raw milk production (2) as referred to in Article 126c(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007
  Annual data (1 000 t) |
| --- |
| | Cow | Ewe | Goat | Buffalo |
| BE | 3 111,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| BG | 1 124,0 | 85,0 | 60,0 | 8,0 |
| CZ | 2 682,5 | 0,0 (3) | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| DK | 4 910,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| DE | 29 593,9 | 2,1 (3) | 35,0 | 5,1 (3) |
| EE | 675,4 | 0,0 | 0,6 | 0,0 |
| IE | 5 349,7 | 0,0 (3) | 1,4 (3) | 0,0 (3) |
| EL | 743,7 | 752,4 | 394,6 | 0,0 (3) |
| ES | 6 357,1 | 585,2 | 523,9 | 0,0 |
| FR | 24 000,3 | 267,0 | 664,5 | 0,0 |
| IT | 11 399,4 | 511,9 | 48,6 | 201,4 |
| CY | 151,0 | 18,0 | 22,9 | 0,0 |
| LV | 830,9 | 0,0 (3) | 3,6 | 0,0 (3) |
| LT | 1 732,5 | 0,0 | 4,0 | 0,0 |
| LU | 295,3 | 0,0 (3) | 2,2 (3) | 0,0 (3) |
| HU | 1 684,9 | 1,8 | 3,8 | 0,0 |
| MT | 41,8 (3) | 1,8 (3) | 0,0 (3) | 0,0 (3) |
| NL | 11 940,5 | 3,0 (3) | 182,0 | 1,5 (3) |
| AT | 3 257,7 | 9,5 | 18,7 | 0,0 |
| PL | 12 279,0 | 0,0 | 19,0 | 0,0 |
| PT | 1 956,5 | 81,0 | 27,8 | 0,0 |
| RO | 4 500,0 | 430,0 | 222,0 | 21,0 |
| SI | 603,9 | 0,5 | 1,3 | 0,0 (3) |
| SK | 918,0 | 9,4 | 0,1 | 0,0 (3) |
| FI | 2 336,3 | 0,0 | 0,0 (3) | 0,0 |
| SE | 2 862,2 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| UK | 13 960,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 | 0,0 |
| EU-27 | 149 297,5 | 2 758,6 | 2 236,0 | 237,0 |

Amounts of raw milk production (2) as referred to in Article 126c(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007

Annual data (1 000 t)

Cow

Ewe

Goat

Buffalo

BE

3 111,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

BG

1 124,0

85,0

60,0

8,0

CZ

2 682,5

0,0 (3)

0,0

0,0

DK

4 910,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

DE

29 593,9

2,1 (3)

35,0

5,1 (3)

EE

675,4

0,0

0,6

0,0

IE

5 349,7

0,0 (3)

1,4 (3)

0,0 (3)

EL

743,7

752,4

394,6

0,0 (3)

ES

6 357,1

585,2

523,9

0,0

FR

24 000,3

267,0

664,5

0,0

IT

11 399,4

511,9

48,6

201,4

CY

151,0

18,0

22,9

0,0

LV

830,9

0,0 (3)

3,6

0,0 (3)

LT

1 732,5

0,0

4,0

0,0

LU

295,3

0,0 (3)

2,2 (3)

0,0 (3)

HU

1 684,9

1,8

3,8

0,0

MT

41,8 (3)

1,8 (3)

0,0 (3)

0,0 (3)

NL

11 940,5

3,0 (3)

182,0

1,5 (3)

AT

3 257,7

9,5

18,7

0,0

PL

12 279,0

0,0

19,0

0,0

PT

1 956,5

81,0

27,8

0,0

RO

4 500,0

430,0

222,0

21,0

SI

603,9

0,5

1,3

0,0 (3)

SK

918,0

9,4

0,1

0,0 (3)

FI

2 336,3

0,0

0,0 (3)

0,0

SE

2 862,2

0,0

0,0

0,0

UK

13 960,0

0,0

0,0

0,0

EU-27

149 297,5

2 758,6

2 236,0

237,0

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(1)  OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1.

(2)  2010 Milk production on the farm EUROSTAT — NewCronos Products Obtained.

(3)  Communicated by Member State and/or estimated/calculated production 0,0: less than half the unit.

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| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/3 |
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2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/3

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Commission communication concerning the prolongation of the application of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty of 1 October 2004

2012/C 296/02

Point 102 of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (1) states that ‘The Commission will apply these Guidelines with effect from 10 October 2004 until 9 October 2009’. In 2009, the Commission extended the validity of the guidelines until 9 October 2012 (2).

In its communication of 8 May 2012 on EU State aid modernisation (3), the Commission set out an ambitious State aid reform programme. The proposals for reform include identifying common principles for assessing the compatibility of aid with the internal market. The various guidelines and frameworks will be revised and streamlined to make them consistent with the common principles.

The review of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty has to be placed in the context of the overall process to modernise State aid rules. In order not to pre-empt the results of the horizontal discussions on State aid modernisation, the Commission has decided to continue to apply the current guidelines until such time as they are replaced by new rules on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty.

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(1)  OJ C 244, 1.10.2004, p. 2.

(2)  Commission communication concerning the prolongation of the Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty, OJ C 156, 9.7.2009, p. 3.

(3)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on EU State aid modernisation (SAM), COM(2012) 209 final.

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| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/4 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/4

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Communication from the Commission relating to the overall allocation of certain quotas opened by the European Union for products in the rice sector in 2012

2012/C 296/03

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1274/2009 (1) opened tariff quotas for the import of rice originating in the overseas countries and territories (OCT).

The overall allocation for 2012 of each quota provided for by that Regulation is set out in the Annex to this communication.

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(1)  OJ L 344, 23.12.2009, p. 3.

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ANNEX

Overall allocation for 2012 of the quotas under Regulation (EU) No 1274/2009

| Origin | Order number | Import licence applications introduced for the September 2012 subperiod | Overall allocation of the quota for 2012 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Netherlands Antilles and Aruba | 09.4189 | (1) | 0 % |
| Least developed OCTs | 09.4190 | (1) | 0 % |

Origin

Order number

Import licence applications introduced for the September 2012 subperiod

Overall allocation of the quota for 2012

Netherlands Antilles and Aruba

09.4189

(1)

0 %

Least developed OCTs

09.4190

(1)

0 %

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(1)  No allocation coefficient for this subperiod: no licence applications were sent to the Commission.

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IV Notices

NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS, BODIES, OFFICES AND AGENCIES

European Commission

| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/5 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/5

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Euro exchange rates (1)

1 October 2012

2012/C 296/04

1 euro =

| | Currency | Exchange rate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| USD | US dollar | 1,2877 |
| JPY | Japanese yen | 100,42 |
| DKK | Danish krone | 7,4554 |
| GBP | Pound sterling | 0,79830 |
| SEK | Swedish krona | 8,4731 |
| CHF | Swiss franc | 1,2095 |
| ISK | Iceland króna | |
| NOK | Norwegian krone | 7,3780 |
| BGN | Bulgarian lev | 1,9558 |
| CZK | Czech koruna | 25,080 |
| HUF | Hungarian forint | 285,13 |
| LTL | Lithuanian litas | 3,4528 |
| LVL | Latvian lats | 0,6962 |
| PLN | Polish zloty | 4,1057 |
| RON | Romanian leu | 4,5223 |
| TRY | Turkish lira | 2,3117 |
| AUD | Australian dollar | 1,2431 |
| CAD | Canadian dollar | 1,2667 |
| HKD | Hong Kong dollar | 9,9850 |
| NZD | New Zealand dollar | 1,5533 |
| SGD | Singapore dollar | 1,5827 |
| KRW | South Korean won | 1 435,49 |
| ZAR | South African rand | 10,7321 |
| CNY | Chinese yuan renminbi | 8,0926 |
| HRK | Croatian kuna | 7,4255 |
| IDR | Indonesian rupiah | 12 334,98 |
| MYR | Malaysian ringgit | 3,9433 |
| PHP | Philippine peso | 53,731 |
| RUB | Russian rouble | 40,2230 |
| THB | Thai baht | 39,648 |
| BRL | Brazilian real | 2,6098 |
| MXN | Mexican peso | 16,5824 |
| INR | Indian rupee | 67,4870 |

Currency

Exchange rate

USD

US dollar

1,2877

JPY

Japanese yen

100,42

DKK

Danish krone

7,4554

GBP

Pound sterling

0,79830

SEK

Swedish krona

8,4731

CHF

Swiss franc

1,2095

ISK

Iceland króna

NOK

Norwegian krone

7,3780

BGN

Bulgarian lev

1,9558

CZK

Czech koruna

25,080

HUF

Hungarian forint

285,13

LTL

Lithuanian litas

3,4528

LVL

Latvian lats

0,6962

PLN

Polish zloty

4,1057

RON

Romanian leu

4,5223

TRY

Turkish lira

2,3117

AUD

Australian dollar

1,2431

CAD

Canadian dollar

1,2667

HKD

Hong Kong dollar

9,9850

NZD

New Zealand dollar

1,5533

SGD

Singapore dollar

1,5827

KRW

South Korean won

1 435,49

ZAR

South African rand

10,7321

CNY

Chinese yuan renminbi

8,0926

HRK

Croatian kuna

7,4255

IDR

Indonesian rupiah

12 334,98

MYR

Malaysian ringgit

3,9433

PHP

Philippine peso

53,731

RUB

Russian rouble

40,2230

THB

Thai baht

39,648

BRL

Brazilian real

2,6098

MXN

Mexican peso

16,5824

INR

Indian rupee

67,4870

---

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

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V Announcements

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

European Commission

| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/6 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/6

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Call for proposals under the 2013 ‘Ideas’ work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

2012/C 296/05

Notice is hereby given of the launch of a call for proposals under the 2013 ‘Ideas’ work programme of the seventh framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013).

Proposals are invited for the following call. Call deadline and budget are given in the call text, which is published on the Research and Innovation Participant Portal website.

‘Ideas’ work programme:

| Call title | Call for proposals to support ERC monitoring and evaluation strategy (gender aspects) — Coordination and Support Action — ERC proposal submission, peer review and gender mainstreaming |
| --- | --- |
| Call identifier | ERC-2013-Support-1 |

Call title

Call for proposals to support ERC monitoring and evaluation strategy (gender aspects) — Coordination and Support Action — ERC proposal submission, peer review and gender mainstreaming

Call identifier

ERC-2013-Support-1

This call for proposals relates to the work programme adopted by Commission Decision C(2012) 4562 of 9 July 2012.

Information on the modalities of the call, the work programme, and guidance for applicants on how to submit proposals is available through the relevant European Commission website:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/appmanager/participants/portal

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| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/7 |
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2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/7

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Calls for proposals under the 2013 work programme ‘People’ of the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

2012/C 296/06

Notice is hereby given of the launch of calls for proposals under the 2013 work programme ‘People’ of the seventh framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013).

Proposals are invited for the following calls. Call deadlines and budgets are given in the call texts, which are published on the relevant European Commission website.

‘People’ specific programme

| Call title | Call identifier |
| --- | --- |
| Researchers' Night | FP7-PEOPLE-2013-NIGHT |
| Industry-academia partnerships and pathways | FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IAPP |

Call title

Call identifier

Researchers' Night

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-NIGHT

Industry-academia partnerships and pathways

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IAPP

These calls for proposals relate to the 2013 work programme adopted by Commission Decision C(2012) 4561 of 9 July 2012.

Information on the modalities of the calls, the work programmes, and guidance for applicants on how to submit proposals is available through the relevant European Commission website.

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| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/8 |
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2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/8

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Call for proposals under the work programme of the seventh EC framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities

2012/C 296/07

Notice is hereby given of the launch of a call for proposals under the work programmes of the seventh framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013).

Proposals are invited for the following call in the ‘Cooperation’ specific programme: Information and Communication Technologies: FP7-ICT-2013-EU-Japan.

Call documentation including deadline and budget is given in the call text, which is published on the website:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/page/home

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OTHER ACTS

European Commission

| 2.10.2012 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 296/9 |
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2.10.2012

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 296/9

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

2012/C 296/08

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

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘FRAISES DE NÎMES’

EC No: FR-PGI-0005-0809-02.06.2010

PGI ( X ) PDO ( )

1.   Name:

‘Fraises de Nîmes’

2.   Member State or Third Country:

France

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff:

3.1.   Type of product:

| Class 1.6: | Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed |
| --- | --- |

Class 1.6:

Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ are presented fresh.

The fruit is healthy, without deformities, bright and unsoiled. The fruit must have a minimum sugar content of 7,5 % Brix and its colour at harvest must be homogenous.

The fruit must have a fresh and green peduncle and calyx.

Marketed fruit are arranged in layers, regardless of the type of packaging (punnet, tray).

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ must be marketed in the ‘Extra’ or ‘I’ class.

Each batch must contain fruit of a uniform size of at least 18 mm.

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ stem from varieties listed by the applicant group.

The applicant group, together with the Centre Technique Interprofessionnel de Fruits et Légumes of Balandran, has so far selected two varieties:

| — | ‘Ciflorette’, |
| --- | --- |

—

‘Ciflorette’,

| — | ‘Gariguette’. |
| --- | --- |

—

‘Gariguette’.

Producers must use certified seedlings.

By improving the plants and through varietal selection it must be possible to create new strawberry varieties whose gustatory qualities exceed those of existing varieties. Therefore, a procedure for introducing new varieties eligible for the ‘Fraises de Nîmes’ PGI has been established.

The varieties are chosen according to the following criteria:

| — | early varieties, |
| --- | --- |

—

early varieties,

| — | gustatory qualities based, in particular, on the sugar content, |
| --- | --- |

—

gustatory qualities based, in particular, on the sugar content,

| — | oblong shape, |
| --- | --- |

—

oblong shape,

| — | keeping quality, |
| --- | --- |

—

keeping quality,

| — | resistance to diseases, in particular oidium, |
| --- | --- |

—

resistance to diseases, in particular oidium,

| — | varieties for which the total hours of cold necessary for the buds to break dormancy is approximately the same (700 to 900 hours). |
| --- | --- |

—

varieties for which the total hours of cold necessary for the buds to break dormancy is approximately the same (700 to 900 hours).

Harvesting takes place every other day at the beginning of the marketing year and thereafter every day.

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ are delivered at the latest on the day following their harvest.

3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only):

Not applicable.

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

Not applicable.

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

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ must be grown and harvested in the geographical area.

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

The strawberries are packaged in punnets or trays and must always be arranged in layers.

The strawberries are picked and put directly into the consumer unit (punnets or trays holding 2 kg of ‘Fraises de Nîmes’ PGI) at the edge of the field in order to limit handling.

The packaging of the fruit consists in verifying the weight of the consumer units, labelling them, placing the fruit in the tray and putting in place a system of traceability.

The strawberries must be wrapped and packaged in the defined geographical area to limit the handling of this fragile product, as excessive handling would damage its quality and keeping quality.

The producer is also the packager, as this keeps the handling of the strawberries to a minimum.

3.7.   Specific rules on labelling:

The labels affixed to the consumer units must include the following:

| — | the minimum labelling information required by law, |
| --- | --- |

—

the minimum labelling information required by law,

| — | the name of the protected geographical indication: ‘Fraises de Nîmes’, |
| --- | --- |

—

the name of the protected geographical indication: ‘Fraises de Nîmes’,

| — | an insert with the name and address of the certifying body (Qualité-France), preceded by the words ‘Certified by:’. |
| --- | --- |

—

an insert with the name and address of the certifying body (Qualité-France), preceded by the words ‘Certified by:’.

The European Union’s PGI logo is mandatory on the punnets and trays.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area:

The geographical area of the ‘Fraises de Nîmes’ PGI is located in the département du Gard in Languedoc-Roussillon.

It is characterised principally by the geological unit formed by the Plateau des Costières in Nîmes.

The geographical area is defined on the basis of a well-defined geological unit separated, in the north and west, from the Nîmes garrigue by the Vistre valley. It is an elevated sub-horizontal plateau that is situated at an altitude ranging between 20 and 147 metres and composed of hills formed by a pebble bed.

The area is made up of 28 municipalities located in the geographical area of Costières in Nîmes. The strawberries are produced, packaged and wrapped exclusively in this area.

The municipalities in question are:

Aubord, Beaucaire, Beauvoisin, Bellegarde, Bernis, Bezouce, Bouillargues, Le Cailar, Caissargues, Comps, Garons, Générac, Jonquières-saint-Vincent, Ledenon, Manduel, Marguerittes, Meynes, Milhaud, Montfrin, Nîmes, Redessan, Rodilhan, Saint-Gervasy, Saint-Gilles, Sernhac, Uchaud, Vauvert and Vestric-et-Candiac.

5.   Link with the geographical area:

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area:

5.1.1.   Soil and climate factors

The production area of ‘Fraises de Nîmes’ belongs to a geological and geographical territory that is located between Meynes, Vauvert, Saint-Gilles and Beaucaire to the south-east of Nîmes and to the north of Camargue, at the junction of Occitanie and Provence, and called ‘Plateau des Costières’. It is a well-defined geological unit separated, in the north and west, from the Nîmes garrigue by the Vistre valley. Its natural frontiers are the Gardon valley in the north-east and the low-lying plain of the Petit Rhône in the east. Its southern slope features rolling hills that end in the marshes of Petite Camargue.

This plateau is home to ancient alluvial deposits, represented mainly by vast stretches of a gravel-sand mixture and of pebbles from the plio-quaternary (Villafranchian), brought by the Rhône and the Durance between Avignon and Montpellier. A large part of this Villafranchian gravel is made up of pebbles, to a depth of 5 to 10 metres, in a clayey-sandy-loamy to sandy-loamy-clayey soil matrix, the colour of which varies from light yellow to dark red and from which the softest calcareous elements have disappeared. At night, these pebbles release the heat of the sun stored during the day.

This type of warm and well-drained soil is beneficial to strawberry growing (limited rooting, slightly calcareous soils with an acidic tendency) and promotes the early maturity of the fruit.

The climate of the area is characterised by three main features: the wind, the rainfall patterns and the substantial periods of sunshine. The substantial periods of sunshine are a factor in the early maturity of the fruit (more than 2 500 hours of sunshine a year, or more than 250 days). The rainfall patterns mean that there is no need for irrigation in the autumn and the winter, when the covers are open, because rainfall is heavy then and the water is well-drained owing to the pebbles in the soil. In the spring, there are intense but short periods of rain and the ambient humidity decreases rapidly owing to the wind: thus the wind contributes to keeping the crop healthy, as the producers can open the tunnels when humidity is high and, conversely, close them in times of fog.

5.1.2.   Human factors

The cultivation of strawberries in the Gard and in the PGI area has traditionally been marginal and small-scale.

At the beginning of the 1960s, in the PGI area, ‘the strawberry started being considered one of the crops capable of adapting to the region following the water management of agricultural land’. The suitability of the area was soon demonstrated by the amounts and early maturity of the strawberries. The production areas at the time were the Plateau des Costières, with the early variety ‘Surprise des Halles’, and the Cévennes, with ‘Madame Moutot’, which is not a very early variety. Strawberry production in the Gard was at its height at the end of the 1970s, with 70 ha being cultivated by 145 farmers.

Tunnels covered by plastic sheets are used systematically on the land. These tunnels protect the strawberries from the strong and destructive mistral wind, which damages the leaves and fruits of the strawberries, and contribute to early production.

The producers have been able to master the production of strawberries under cover, irrigation and nitrogen fertilisation in order to produce high-quality strawberries picked when mature. They know that the correct way to package this delicate fruit is to put it into punnets at the edge of the field.

It rapidly became clear that in the PGI area strawberries mature approximately 15 days earlier than in the Carpentras basin. The gustatory qualities of this strawberry are recognised by many professionals (wholesalers, retailers, etc.), and the marketing chain is short for this high-end product sold on the Côte d’Azur and in Paris, Strasbourg and other places. The present reputation of the strawberry was established recently by local restaurateurs such as the POURCEL brothers from the ‘Jardin des sens’ in Montpellier and by chefs Philippe FAURE-BRACE from Bistrots des Sommeliers in Paris and Pierre INFANTE from the Confrérie des Restaurateurs de Métier of the Gard. A biannual public event was also launched: ‘la Fraise de Nîmes fait son cinéma’. The objective of this event is to invite Nîmes residents to taste this spring fruit in a few selected places in the town such as cinemas, restaurants, bakeries, the tourist information bureau, etc.

5.2.   Specificity of the product:

The specificity of the product is based on the early maturing of ‘Fraises de Nîmes’.

‘Fraises de Nîmes’ are the only strawberries grown in the open in France and available on the market from the beginning of March until the end of May at the latest, when the first stone fruit appear.

This characteristic is directly linked to the soils (in particular the presence of pebbles) but also to the climate and to the fact that the strawberries are produced under cover.

The producers of ‘Fraises de Nîmes’ have developed a technique for early production, owing to which the strawberry is the first fruit of the year to be grown in the open:

The fruit is grown partly under cover, as the tunnels need to be closed starting on 15 February. Prior to this date, it is necessary to guarantee a total number of hours of cold sufficient for the buds to break dormancy (700-900 hours). The tunnels are closed after 15 February in order to promote the vegetal recovery of the plant and ensure its early maturity. Once the covers have been closed, it is necessary to take the climate conditions into account in order to, for example, open the tunnels partially for a few hours to get rid of any excessive humidity that might cause cryptogamic diseases in the strawberry plants.

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

Early maturity, an essential characteristic of the product, is possible owing to the climate and to the method of cultivation developed by the producers.

Strawberries started being grown in the PGI area thanks to the favourable climate and soil conditions. The cultivation of strawberries became established because it fits particularly well into the schedule of the producers, who are above all fruit growers.

Early fruit is obtained through a combination of soil and climate factors, varietal factors and special know-how:

| — | the varieties used (the ‘Gariguette’ and the ‘Ciflorette’ are early-maturing varieties), |
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the varieties used (the ‘Gariguette’ and the ‘Ciflorette’ are early-maturing varieties),

| — | the natural surroundings where they are grown (at least 20 % of the soil consists of pebbles), which warm up rapidly and release at night the warmth of the sun stored during the day, plenty of sunshine and winter temperatures cold enough for the buds to break dormancy, |
| --- | --- |

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the natural surroundings where they are grown (at least 20 % of the soil consists of pebbles), which warm up rapidly and release at night the warmth of the sun stored during the day, plenty of sunshine and winter temperatures cold enough for the buds to break dormancy,

| — | the cultivation practices of the farmers (growing under cover to promote an early start-up owing to the thermal efficiency gain and to protect the strawberries from drying winds and cold that make the leaves, in particular, fall), growing in the open in order to benefit from the qualities of the soil (well-drained, heating aided by the pebbles). |
| --- | --- |

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the cultivation practices of the farmers (growing under cover to promote an early start-up owing to the thermal efficiency gain and to protect the strawberries from drying winds and cold that make the leaves, in particular, fall), growing in the open in order to benefit from the qualities of the soil (well-drained, heating aided by the pebbles).

The production method of ‘Fraises de Nîmes’, which are grown in the open and harvested under cover, makes it possible to obtain a clean and bright fruit whose minimum sugar content is 7,5 % Brix.

The history of the strawberry in the Gard shows that strawberries have always been grown on this land. Today, the PGI area alone accounts for more than 50 % of the cultivated area under strawberry in the Gard. It is a crop in perfect harmony with its surroundings and, owing to its growing schedule, it complements well the selection of crops produced in this agricultural area by strawberry producers, who often also grow other fruit.

Reference to publication of the specification:

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

https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCIGPFraisesDeNimesV2.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

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