EN Official Journal of the European Union C 222/14

Publication of an amendment 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

2010/C 222/08

This publication confers the right to object to the amendment 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.

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

AMENDMENT APPLICATION ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 9

‘VALLE D'AOSTA LARD D'ARNAD’/‘VALLÉE D'AOSTE LARD D'ARNAD’

EC No: IT-PDO-0117-1493-21.10.2001

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment:

— Name of product — Description of product —  Geographical area —  Proof of origin — Method of production —  Link — Labelling —  National requirements — Other (Inspection body)

2. Type of amendment(s):

—  Amendment to single document or summary sheet — Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the single document nor summary has been published —  Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published single document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) —  Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

3. Amendment(s):

1. In Article 1: ‘The protected designation of origin “Valle d'Aosta Lard D'Arnad” is reserved for the pigmeat product which fulfils the conditions and requirements set out in this product specification.’, has been replaced by: ‘The protected designation of origin “Valle d'Aosta Lard D'Arnad” or “Vallée d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad” is reserved for the pigmeat product which fulfils the conditions and requirements set out in this product specification.’ Considering that the Autonomous Region of Valle D’Aosta is a recognised bilingual area in which Italian and French are used, the protection under Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 shall also apply to the French version of the designation.

2. In Article 3: ‘“Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad” is produced from the shoulder and back of pigs at least one year old and, when released for consumption, is at least 3 cm thick. In the salting process, a mixture of crystallised sodium chloride, water, garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, sage and other mountain herbs found in situ is used.’, has been replaced by: ‘“Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad” is produced from the shoulder and back of pigs at least nine months old and, when released for consumption, is at least 3 cm thick. In the salting process, in addition to the brine made up of water and crystallised sodium chloride, the following are used: garlic, bay leaf, rosemary, sage and possibly other aromatic herbs and non-ground spices such as, for instance, cloves, nutmeg, juniper berries. The aromatic herbs and spices should not, however, overpower the rosemary, garlic, sage and bay leaf. Depending on the time of year and what is then available, other local wild or cultivated aromatic herbs grown in the region may be used.’ The amendment to the first paragraph is intended to correct a simple drafting error copied from the previous specification because the minimum age of pigs for slaughter had already been set in Article 2 as nine months, so the same minimum age of nine months has to be stated in Article 3 instead of one year. The amendment to the second paragraph makes it optional to use mountain herbs in the salting process, as their use is linked to local weather conditions. It also allows for the use of other aromatic herbs and spices associated with the traditional way of producing ‘Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad’. The use of herbs and spices as provided for in the product specification must not alter the characteristic taste and smell of ‘Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad’, which is to say: rosemary, garlic, sage and bay leaf, since these must never be overpowered.

3. In Article 4(3): ‘The lard must be cut and placed in special wooden containers (doils) within not more than 48 hours of slaughter.’, has been replaced by: ‘The lard must be cut and placed in special wooden containers (doils) within not more than 48 hours of the day following slaughter. The wood used to construct the doils must be chestnut, oak or larch.’ This amendment defers by one day the deadline for cleaning and salting the lard, which has been cut into pieces, and placing it into appropriate wooden containers (doils). This was necessary on technical and operational grounds, since it was quite hard to comply with the 48-hour period set previously. This amendment also specifies the botanical species whose wood may be used for the construction of doils (chestnut, oak and larch), taking established practice into account.

4. In the second subparagraph of Article 6(1): ‘Form: in pieces of various sizes […] no less than 3 cm thick’, has been replaced by: ‘Form: in pieces of various sizes […] with the lard itself being no less than 3 cm thick’. This simple amendment makes it easier than heretofore to determine the thickness of the pieces of lard by specifying that the layer of lard itself must not be less than 3 cm thick, thereby excluding the thickness of the rind.

5. In the third subparagraph of Article 6(2): ‘External appearance: White in colour with the possible presence of a thin layer of meat that never rises above the lumps, … .’, has been replaced by: ‘External appearance: white in colour with the possible presence of a thin layer of meat, … .’ This is a minor amendment to better describe the lard's external appearance, specifying the possible presence of a thin layer of meat.

6. In the fourth subparagraph of Article 6(2): ‘Aroma: rich in flavours; Flavour: a pleasant taste reminiscent of the herbs used in the brine mixture’, has been replaced by: ‘Smell: rich in flavours; Taste: a pleasant taste reminiscent of the herbs used in the brine mixture’. This is a minor amendment to better describe some terms relating to organoleptic characteristics: aroma has been replaced by smell and flavour by taste respectively.

7. In Article 8(1): ‘The term “Lard d'Arnad” must be printed in significantly clear and indelible type, it must be quite separate from any other wording and must be followed by the words Denominazione di Origine Controllata.’. has been replaced by: ‘The term “Lard d'Arnad” must be printed in significantly clear and indelible type, it must be quite separate from any other wording and must be followed by the words Denominazione di Origine Protetta.’ The words ‘Denominazione di Origine Controllata’ have been replaced by ‘Denominazione di Origine Protetta’ in line with Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘VALLE D'AOSTA LARD D'ARNAD’/‘VALLÉE D'AOSTE LARD D'ARNAD’

EC No: IT-PDO-0117-1493-21.10.2001

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1. Responsible department in the Member State:

Name: Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali Address: Via XX Settembre 20 00187 Roma RM ITALIA Tel. +39 0646655106 Fax +39 0646655306 E-mail: saco7@politicheagricole.gov.it

2. Group:

Name: Comité pour la valorisation des produits typiques d'Arnad «Lo Doil» Address: c/o Municipio via Clos 3 fraz. Closè 11020 Arnad AO ITALIA Tel. +39 0125966300 Fax +39 0125966351 E-mail: — Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3. Type of product:

Class 1.2 — Meat products

4. Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1. Name:

‘Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad’/‘Vallée d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad’

4.2. Description:

‘Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad’ means the product obtained from pigs raised in farmholdings in the regions of Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna using, in accordance with the product specification, the shoulder and back of adult pigs at least nine months old. The pigs must weigh at least 160 kg (with a 10 % margin of tolerance). The end product after maturing can take various shapes but is at least 3 cm thick, is white in colour with streaks of meat in the upper layer, pinkish inside but without marbling.

4.3. Geographical area:

Pigs intended for the production of ‘Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad’ must have been born, raised and slaughtered within the following regions: Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto.

‘Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad’ is produced exclusively within the municipality of Arnad in the Autonomous Region of Valle d'Aosta.

4.4. Proof of origin:

Each stage in the production process is monitored, with all inputs and outputs being documented. This, along with specific registers managed by the inspection body that record the stock farmers, producers, ripeners and packagers, and the timely notification of the quantities produced to the inspection body, ensures product traceability. All operators, whether legal or natural persons, entered in the relevant registers are subject to checks by the inspection body.

4.5. Method of production:

The pigmeat must first and foremost have been refined by a diet that includes some particular foods but excludes feed supplements. The lard is obtained from the shoulder and back of the pig and must be not less than 3 cm thick.

The lard must be cut and placed in the appropriate wooden containers (doils) no later than 48 hours after the day following slaughter, each layer of lard alternating with a layer of salt and flavourings, continuing in that manner until the doil is almost full; everything must then be covered by salted water that has first been brought to the boil and left to cool. The wood used to make the doils must be either chestnut, oak or larch.

The lard must remain (‘maturing’) in the doil for at least three months.

4.6. Link:

The features of the PDO product depend on environmental conditions and natural and human factors. In particular, the properties of the raw material are dependent on the specific designated area.

In the area which is the source of the raw material, the development of livestock farming is linked to the widespread cultivation of cereal crops and to working methods in the highly specialised dairy sector which have encouraged pig farming locally.

The localised processing of Lard d'Arnad is based on artisan methods developed over time and deeply rooted in the traditions of the local people in the municipality of Arnad.

Lard d'Arnad owes its particular features to each phase of the production process. This starts with the pigs’ diet, which excludes feed supplements in favour of natural feedingstuffs, and ends with a final product that has undergone processing, cutting and cleaning.

4.7. Inspection body:

Name: Istituto Nord Est Qualità — INEQ Address: Via Rodeano 71 33038 San Daniele del Friuli UD ITALIA Tel. +39 0432940349 Fax +39 0432943357 E-mail: info@ineq.it

4.8. Labelling:

When released for consumption the product must bear the words in Italian ‘Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad’ or, in French, ‘Vallée d'Aoste Lard d'Arnad’, followed by ‘Denominazione di Origine Protetta’ and a logo if there is one.

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