COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2527/98 of 25 November 1998 supplementing the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 2301/97 on the entry of certain names in the 'Register of certificates of specific character` provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 of 14 July 1992 on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 9(2)(b) thereof,
Whereas, in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92, the Member States have forwarded to the Commission applications for the entry of certain names in the register of certificates of specific character;
Whereas the names so registered are entitled to use the description 'traditional speciality guaranteed` which is reserved for them;
Whereas a number of objections concerning the name 'Mozzarella` have been sent to the Commission in accordance with Article 8 of the abovementioned Regulation following the publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities (2) of the main points of the application for registration;
Whereas the Commission has asked the Member States concerned, in accordance with Article 9(2) of that Regulation, to seek agreement between themselves; whereas no agreement has been reached and it is therefore up to the Commission to decide on the registration of the name concerned;
Whereas consideration of the various observations in the abovementioned objections has not shown that the specification forwarded by the applicant Member State does not comply with the conditions set out in Articles 2, 4, 5 and 6 of that Regulation; whereas, in fact, this specification is found to establish a specific and traditional character;
Whereas, with regard to the inspection of the specific character of the product referred to in Article 6 of that Regulation, the applicant Member State has stated that a physical inspection must be carried out to check the presence of and correct preparation of the natural starter; whereas inspection also involves the taking of samples of the finished product for the purposes of checking its organoleptic, chemical and microbiological characteristics using official or recognised methods; whereas these factors are among the main points of the specification;
Whereas the name 'Mozzarella` is entitled to be entered in the 'Register of certificates of specific character` and protected at Community level pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92 as a traditional speciality guaranteed; whereas this does not prevent continued use of this name in accordance with a specification other than that which is protected provided that the labelling does not bear the Community symbol or description;
Whereas the Annex to this Regulation supplements the Annex to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2301/97 (3), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 954/98 (4);
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Regulatory Committee on Certificates of Specific Character,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The name in Annex I to this Regulation is hereby added to the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 2301/97 and entered in the 'Register of certificates of specific character` in accordance with Article 9(1) of Regulation (EEC) No 2082/92.
It shall be protected in accordance with Article 13(1) of that Regulation.
The main points of the specification are shown in Annex II. They replace the points published in Official Journal of the European Communities No C 246 of 24 August 1996, page 9.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 25 November 1998.