COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 1044/2011
of 19 October 2011
entering a name in the register of the traditional specialities guaranteed (Kabanosy (TSG))
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 509/2006 of 20 March 2006 on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed (1), and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 9(5) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Pursuant to Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006, Poland’s application, received on 22 January 2007, to register the name ‘Kabanosy’ was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2).
(2)
The Czech Republic, Germany and Austria submitted objections to the registration pursuant to Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006. The objections were deemed admissible under point (a) of the first subparagraph of Article 9(3) of that Regulation.
(3)
By letters dated 26 January 2010, the Commission invited the Member States concerned to engage in appropriate consultations.
(4)
While within the designated time-frame agreements have been reached between Austria and Poland and between the Czech Republic and Poland, no agreement has been reached between Germany and Poland. The Commission therefore has to adopt a decision in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 18(2) of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006.
(5)
The statements of objections concerned non-compliance with the conditions laid down in Articles 2 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006.
(6)
Concerning the alleged failure of compliance with Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006 in respect of the specific character of ‘Kabanosy’ no manifest error was identified. By its characteristics as defined in the specification (characteristics of the meat, taste and the unique shape) ‘Kabanosy’ is clearly distinguished from other similar products of the same category and is thus in compliance with the definition for specific character in point (a) of Article 2(1) of that Regulation. In the specification ‘Kabanosy’ is described as long, thin sticks of dry sausage twisted off at one end, evenly wrinkled and folded in two, which should be considered as the product’s intrinsic physical feature and therefore not as a matter of product presentation. Lastly, national standardisation of ‘Kabanosy’ does not impede the registration of the name since it has been established in order to define the specificity of the product and, therefore, it is covered by the derogation set out in the third subparagraph of Article 2(2) of that Regulation.
(7)
As regards the objections based on non-compliance with the conditions laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006, no manifest error was identified either. The name ‘Kabanosy’ does not refer only to claims of a general nature used for a set of products nor is it misleading. Therefore it is not concerned by the second subparagraph of Article 4(3) of that Regulation. The specific character is further not due to the product’s provenance or geographical origin. The product specification rather establishes a quality criterion for the pig population that has an effect on the quality of the finished product and thus indeed on the specific character of ‘Kabanosy’. ‘Kabanosy’s’ main elements of its traditional character consist of both the use of traditional raw materials and traditional method of production, thus those elements are in compliance with Article 4(1) of that Regulation.
(8)
Regarding the existence of several other linguistic or orthographic variations of the name, only ‘Kabanosy’ is sought to be registered in accordance with point (a) of Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 509/2006.
(9)
The protection referred to in Article 13(2) of that Regulation has not been requested. Registration without reservation of the name however allows that a registered name may continue to be used on the labelling of products not corresponding to the registered specification without the indication ‘traditional speciality guaranteed’, the abbreviation ‘TSG’ or the associated EU logo. Once ‘Kabanosy’ is registered it would still be possible to produce and market ‘Kabanosy’-like products under the name ‘Kabanosy’ but without reference to EU registration. Thus the registration of ‘Kabanosy’ as a traditional speciality guaranteed would in no way impair other producers’ rights to use a similar or even identical name for their products.
(10)
In order to respect fair and traditional usage and to avoid the actual likelihood of confusion, the labelling of ‘Kabanosy’ should contain an indication, in the languages of the countries in which the product is marketed, informing the consumers that it has been produced following the Polish tradition.
(11)
In the light of the above, the name ‘Kabanosy’ should be entered in the register of the traditional specialities guaranteed and the product specification should be updated accordingly.
(12)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion by the Standing Committee on Traditional Specialities Guaranteed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The designation contained in the Annex I to this Regulation is hereby entered in the register of the traditional specialities guaranteed.
Article 2
The consolidated product specification is set out in Annex II to this Regulation.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 19 October 2011.