EN Official Journal of the European Union L 82/21

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 262/2013

of 18 March 2013

approving a minor amendment to the specification for a name entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Melon du Quercy (PGI))

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 the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 entered into force on 3 January 2013. It repealed and replaced Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2).

(2) In accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 9(1) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, the Commission has examined France’s application for the approval of amendments to the specification for the protected geographical indication ‘Melon du Quercy’ registered in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 1165/2004 (3), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1040/2007 (4).

(3) The purpose of the application is to amend the specification by giving more detailed information on the product description, the proof of origin, the method of production, labelling, national requirements and the contact details of the control body.

(4) The Commission has examined the amendments in question and decided that they are justified. Since this is a minor amendment, the Commission may adopt it without using the procedure set out in Articles 50 to 52 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The specification for the protected geographical indication ‘Melon du Quercy’ is hereby amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation.

Article 2

Annex II to this Regulation contains the Single Document setting out the main points of the specification.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of 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, 18 March 2013. For the Commission, On behalf of the President, Dacian CIOLOȘ Member of the Commission

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

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

(3) OJ L 224, 25.6.2004, p. 16.

(4) OJ L 238, 11.9.2007, p. 29.

ANNEX I The following amendments to the specification for the protected geographical indication ‘Melon du Quercy’ are approved: 1. Description of the agricultural product As the European marketing standard for melons was repealed on 1 July 2009 (Regulation (EC) No 1615/2001), the reference made to class I of the Regulation is replaced by adding to the specification objective elements initially imposed by the standard (characteristics of the variety, good quality and uniform packaging). The initial specification distinguished between ‘Charentais-type melons’ and ‘other types of long-keeping melons’. Given that all the melons used to produce ‘Melon du Quercy’ are of the Charentais type, a concise rewording is proposed. In order to simplify the layout, the list of packaging classes is replaced by an explicit obligation to pack the melons uniformly, with the largest melon not weighing over 30 % more than the smallest. As regards sugar content, national legislation on the certification conditions of this product imposed a minimum value of 11° Brix, which corresponds to production practices. It is therefore proposed to amend the specification of the PGI by replacing ‘greater than 11° Brix’ by ‘greater than or equal to 11° Brix’. 2. Elements proving that the agricultural product originates from the defined area A requirement concerning the identification of the operators is introduced in order to reinforce the control of the origin of ‘Melon du Quercy’. All the obligations concerning declarations, register keeping and product identification are introduced in this chapter. In order to take into account the specificities of marketing on the retail market and keeping in mind that all Quercy melons are identified individually, it is no longer obligatory to identify the packages. Instead, consumers are provided with information through point-of-sale advertising or on the price tag. 3. Description of the method of production The production chart has been officially changed to highlight the different steps in the production of ‘Melon du Quercy’: production, sorting and packaging, and storage. A distinction is no longer made between the different marketing channels and instead the common obligations of all the operators are highlighted. The procedure for establishing the annual lists of authorised varieties is specified in order to guarantee the quality of ‘Melon du Quercy’. In connection with the transcription of provisions from national legislation and in order to provide more detailed information on the production phases, rules related to planting and sowing, irrigation, fertilisation, phytosanitary protection, approval and sorting are added to the specification. Varietal development and the experience gained over the past 15 years, in particular the hot summers (especially in 2005), make it possible to guarantee that the quality of ‘Melon du Quercy’ will remain unchanged if the melon is harvested after 13.00, in other words when temperatures are higher. The obligation to harvest before 13.00 is therefore abolished. Similarly, laying out the harvested melons in a single layer was justified in the case of highly shock-sensitive varieties. However, since tests carried out in 2009 did not reveal any loss of quality, the possibility of placing the harvested melons into pallets (packaging in several layers) is introduced. As regards packaging, the reference to trays is deleted to allow the use of better-quality packaging, such as punnets. In order to take into account the specificities of marketing on the retail market in a situation where the melons are regularly rearranged on the stalls, the obligation to use cellular trays and paper is deleted for this type of marketing. 4. Control structure The contact details of the control body are updated. A reference to its accreditation is added. 5. Specific labelling details Obligations specific to the PGI are introduced. The obligations related to national legislation are deleted (CCP). 6. Requirements to be met under European or national provisions Introduction of a table of the main points to be verified, in accordance with national requirements.