EN Official Journal of the European Union C 413/14

Publication of an application for amendment pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2017/C 413/11)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application for amendment pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A NON-MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Request for approval of an amendment pursuant to Article 53(2), first subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘MARRONE DEL MUGELLO’

EU No: PGI-IT-02193 — 28.9.2016

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consorzio di Tutela del Marrone del Mugello IGP (Consortium for the Protection of Marrone del Mugello PGI) Via P. Togliatti 4 50032 Borgo San Lorenzo (FI) ITALIA Tel. +39 3492941747

The Consorzio di Tutela del Marrone del Mugello IGP is entitled to submit an amendment application pursuant to Article 13(1) of Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy Decree No 12511 of 14 October 2013.

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Product name — ☒ Description of the product — ☒ Geographical area — ☐ Proof of origin — ☒ Production method — ☐ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ Other [updated legal references; logo]

4. Type of amendment

— ☐ Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor in accordance with Article 53(2), third subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. — ☒ Amendment to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published not to be qualified as minor in accordance with Article 53(2), third subparagraph, of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendment(s)

Geographical area

Article 2 of the product specification

1. The paragraph which reads: ‘The production area of the “Marrone del Mugello” comprises the following parts of the Province of Florence: — Municipality of Borgo S. Lorenzo Partially — Municipality of Dicomano Entirely — Municipality of Firenzuola Partially — Municipality of Londa Partially — Municipality of Marradi Entirely — Municipality of Palazzuolo Sul Senio Entirely — Municipality of Rufina Partially — Municipality of S. Godenzo Partially — Municipality of Scarperia Partially — Municipality of Vicchio Mugello Partially This area forms an integral whole measuring approximately 87 420 ha, as shown in the appended map.’ is amended as follows: ‘The production area of the “Marrone del Mugello” forms an integral whole comprising the land of the following municipalities (2): — Municipality of Barberino di Mugello Entirely — Municipality of Borgo S. Lorenzo Entirely — Municipality of Dicomano Entirely — Municipality of Firenzuola Entirely — Municipality of Londa Entirely — Municipality of Marradi Entirely — Municipality of Palazzuolo Sul Senio Entirely — Municipality of Pelago Entirely — Municipality of Pontassieve Entirely — Municipality of Rufina Entirely — Municipality of S. Godenzo Entirely — Municipality of Scarperia e San Piero a Sieve Entirely — Municipality of Vaglia Entirely — Municipality of Vicchio Mugello Entirely’ The amendment made to Article 2 redefines the geographical boundaries of the production area. More specifically, it states that the production area should encompass the entire administrative territory of all those municipalities which were considered only in part in the current specification, as well as those which were excluded (Barberino Mugello, Pelago, Pontassieve, S. Piero a Sieve and Vaglia) despite belonging to the former Mugello Comunità Montana (Mugello Mountain Community). This amendment is justified on the grounds that, at the time of drafting the specification, the production area boundaries were set taking into consideration only the chestnut groves which were producing at the time of the PGI application, wrongly excluding all the other chestnut groves within the mountain community which, on the basis of their varietal characteristics, cultivation method and environmental conditions, could potentially have produced ‘Marrone del Mugello’ chestnuts. Over the past decade, as interest in the PGI product has grown, these chestnut groves have made a modest recovery and this trend is ongoing. The land covered by the enlargement has the same soil conditions as the historical production area. The altitudinal zone where production occurs lies within the ‘Castanetum’ phytoclimatic area, within which there may be differences in terms of early or late ripening, but not in terms of end product quality. Historically, the entire altitudinal zone has been planted to grow chestnut trees using the same agricultural techniques.

Description of the product

Article 3 of the product specification

2. The paragraph which reads: ‘Nuts which meet the requirements to be designated “Marrone del Mugello” nuts have the following characteristics in common: — never more than three nuts per husk (or cardoon); — medium-large size (no more than 80 nuts/kg), with a tolerance of an additional 10 % for bad years;’ is amended as follows: ‘Nuts which meet the requirements to be designated “Marrone del Mugello” nuts have the following botanical characteristics in common: — typically three nuts per husk (or cardoon); — medium-large size;’ The word ‘botanical’ has been added to specify more precisely the type of characteristics described thereafter. The next amendment replaces the words ‘never more than three’ with ‘typically three’. This amendment is required because the number of nuts within the husk is a descriptive botanical characteristic. It is possible, although not very common, to find husks containing more than three nuts. In this case, nut size, as specified in Article 6 of the product specification, will be the parameter determining compliance with the specification which, during production, will be taken into consideration to determine the intended purpose of the nut (fresh or processed). The phrase which followed ‘(no more than 80 nuts/kg), with a tolerance of an additional 10 % for bad years’ has not been deleted but moved to Article 6 and amended (see also point 7).

Production method

Article 4 of the product specification

3. The sentence which reads: ‘Chestnut groves which can be considered suitable are those located between 300 and 900 metres above sea level on land with the appropriate disposition, exposure and soil characteristics.’ is amended as follows: ‘Chestnut groves which can be considered suitable are those located in the area stated in Article 2, with the Florentine Chestnut variety (Marrone Fiorentino) accounting for at least 90 % of the chestnut trees.’ The reference to altitude has been deleted, since the first version of the specification considered the altitudes of the chestnut groves that were in production at the time, despite the fact that chestnuts grow in the Mugello both below 300 m and above 900 m above sea level. The words ‘with the appropriate disposition, exposure and soil characteristics’ have been deleted since where chestnut groves are present, they have been suitable for centuries. The requirement specifying the percentage of chestnut trees which must be of the Florentine Chestnut variety was already laid down in Article 9 of the current specification; it has been moved to this Article and amended. This move was necessary because this Article sets out all the elements identifying the chestnut groves suitable for producing ‘Marrone del Mugello’ and the elements related to the traditional growing technique. The proportion of Florentine Chestnut variety trees has been amended from 95 to 90 after on-site checks showed a greater presence of wild chestnuts acting as pollinators.

4. The paragraph which reads: ‘The maximum production yield is set at 15 kg of nuts per tree and 1 500 kg per hectare. These production ceilings must be adhered to even in exceptionally fruitful years. The number of producing trees per hectare must not exceed 120 in old groves and 160 in new groves.’ is amended as follows: ‘The maximum production yield is set at 2 500 kg of nuts per hectare and, with a density of less than 80 trees per hectare, at 30 kg per tree. These production ceilings must be adhered to even in exceptionally fruitful years.’ The production ceilings have been raised (from 15 to 30 kg of nuts per tree and from 1 500 to 2 500 kg of nuts per hectare). This amendment is necessary because the harvesting and cultivation of the chestnuts has led to a widespread increase in the volumes of both nuts which are to be sent for fresh consumption and small nuts which are suitable for producing flour or dried chestnuts. It is very important to apply the two production ceilings in low density chestnut groves, in which maximum production per hectare is not a suitable control parameter but yield per tree is. The reference to the number of producing trees per hectare has been deleted (‘must not exceed 120 in old groves and 160 in new groves’), since this parameter has proven meaningless in practice and, at times, misleading, both when harvesting chestnuts at higher altitudes where densities are greater, and with respect to growing techniques applied when harvesting chestnut groves which vary in density over their lifetimes. Many grafted shoots are gradually thinned to ensure an appropriate distribution of trees across the land, as is essential for a good crop.

Article 5 of the product specification

5. The sentence which reads: ‘The product must be sorted, sized, treated through “curing” in cold water and sterilisation using known traditional local methods, and packaged in zone “E”, Alto Mugello-Mugello-Val di Sieve, of the mountain community.’ is amended as follows: ‘The product must be sorted, sized, treated through “curing” in cold water and sterilisation using known traditional local methods, and dried, milled and packaged within the production area mentioned in Article 2.’ The phrase ‘in zone “E”, Alto Mugello-Mugello-Val di Sieve, of the mountain community’ has been removed and a reference to Article 2 added. This is merely a formal amendment since the proposed enlargement of the production area to encompass the administrative land of all the municipalities making up the former zone ‘E’ of the mountain community actually means that the production area will be the same as the area in which the current specification states the activities mentioned in this article are to be performed.

6. The sentence which reads: ‘The fresh product can be released for consumption from 5 October of the year of production.’ is amended as follows: ‘The fresh product can be released for consumption from 25 September of the year of production.’ The proposal is to change the release date for consumption from 5 October to 25 September since seasonal variations in recent years have steadily brought forward the point at which the nuts ripen and fall.

Article 6 of the product specification

7. The paragraph which reads: ‘Upon its release for consumption, fresh “Marrone del Mugello” should be: — a fresh, untreated product, or a product that has been cured in cold water for no more than eight days without any additives being added, or a product that has been sterilised in a hot water bath followed by a cold water bath without any additives being added, using the correct local method; — a product that has been selected and sized to various dimensions in accordance with the Ministerial Decree of 10 July 1939 laying down special technical rules on exporting chestnuts, which apply to both the marketing of the product within the EU and its export to third countries. — a product that has to be packaged in red net bags for packages weighing 1 kg, 5 kg or 10 kg, and in jute bags for packages weighing 25 kg or 30 kg; each package should bear the identification mark “Marrone del Mugello” PGI. The marking must also display data relating to the size, weight, production year and the date of packaging, and be stitched on the outside of the package, acting as a seal.’ is amended as follows: ‘Upon its release for consumption, fresh “Marrone del Mugello” should have the following characteristics: a) Size: no more than 90 nuts/kg; b) A fresh, untreated product, or a product that has been cured in cold water for no more than eight days, or a product that has been sterilised in a hot water bath followed by a cold water bath; the use of additives is prohibited; c) A product selected so that: — the nuts are whole, healthy, turgescent, dry, clean and of standard shape and appearance, as described in Article 3; — the nuts have no trace of mould on the husk and are not damaged, empty or sprouting; For each representative kilo of product, the following tolerances, calculated as a weighted percentage, are permitted: 6 % of nuts with damage to the flesh, not affecting the external husk, caused by mould, insects or any other cause; 3 % of nuts with insect-eaten holes in the husk; 5 % of nuts suffering from lack of nutrients or having cracks or other unaesthetic defects; d) A product sized such that the number of nuts per kg is stable; e) Without prejudice to the requirements in points b), c) and d), fresh nuts sized so that there are more than 90 nuts/kg may bear the “Marrone del Mugello” PGI solely for use as an ingredient in composite, manufactured or processed goods; f) Packaging may vary in weight. Where net bags are used, these must be red. Each package must bear the identification mark “Marrone del Mugello” PGI, in accordance with the logo described in Article 10, affixed in such a way as to prevent reuse.’ The sentence ‘medium-large size (no more than 80 nuts/kg), with a tolerance of an additional 10 % for bad years’, originally included in Article 3, has been amended to ‘no more than 90 nuts/kg’ and inserted in Article 6 of the specification. This amendment is necessary since, with the previous wording, it was necessary to assess annually whether that year had been good or bad; in a bad year, the maximum permitted size of 88 nuts/kg makes sizing with screens difficult. The general reference to ‘using the correct local method’ has been deleted since the method is described in the paragraph. Furthermore, to avoid repeating the words ‘without any additives being added’, the restriction ‘the use of additives is prohibited’ has been added. Points c), d) and e) have been added in the amendment. Points c) and d) set out, in detail, the binding chestnut selection criteria, and sizing and homogeneity characteristics, which are laid down in the Ministerial Decree of 10 July 1939. This addition eliminates the need to refer to legislation, as in the current specification. point (e) makes an addition to the product specification to specify that chestnuts sized so that there are more than 90 nuts/kg may be used as ‘Marrone del Mugello’ PGI only as ingredients in composite, manufactured or processed goods. The option of processing PGI product of smaller size than that intended for the consumer allows operators to increase the volume of certified product obtained in accordance with the area's growing practices. Finally, the requirements relating to packaging capacity and type have been deleted since they do not always meet changing market needs. Of the current rules, only the stipulation that the net bags used must be red is maintained, since this colour is deemed the most suitable match for the chestnuts' colour and is widely used. A reference has also been added to the article setting out the distinctive features of the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ logo and the wording ‘The identification mark must also display data relating to the size, weight, production year and the date of packaging, and be stitched on the outside of the package, acting as a seal’ has been deleted since the information to be stated on the label is specified in the general legislation.

Article 7 of the product specification

8. The paragraph which reads: ‘— The “Marrone del Mugello” can be brought to market not only as a fresh product but also as a processed product having the following characteristics: — dried in the shell, shelled whole or ground, obtained using the traditional local method of drying, in drying houses, on grates over a slow, steady fire burning chestnut wood only.’ is amended as follows: ‘The “Marrone del Mugello” can be brought to market not only as a fresh product but also as a dried product having the following characteristics: 1. in the shell or shelled whole; 2. ground; obtained using the traditional local method of drying, in drying houses, on grates over a slow, steady fire burning chestnut wood only.’ The word ‘processed’ has been replaced with ‘dried’ so as to more precisely define the other ways in which to process the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ PGI product.

9. The following sentence has been added: ‘Fresh nuts sized so that there are more than 90 nuts/kg can also be used to obtain the various types of dry product.’ The addition of the words ‘fresh nuts sized so that there are more than 90 nuts/kg can also be used’ is necessary to clarify the product for processing. The proposed wording incorporates this phrase, clarifying the type of nut for processing: nuts sized so that there are fewer than 90 nuts/kg and also larger nuts where the market so requires.

10. The paragraph which reads: ‘The moisture content of the whole or ground nuts must not exceed 15 %; the product must be free of any parasites of any type; the yield of peeled dry chestnuts may not exceed 35 %, and the yield of dried chestnuts in the shell may not exceed 65 %; the shelled dried chestnuts must be whole and healthy with a light straw-yellow colour, and with no more than 10 % of blemishes (traces of worm holes, deformations, etc.).’ is amended as follows: ‘The moisture content of the whole or ground nuts must not exceed 8 %; the final product placed on the market must be free of any parasites of any type; the yield by weight of peeled dry chestnuts may not exceed 35 %, and the yield by weight of dried chestnuts in the shell may not exceed 65 %; the shelled dried chestnuts must be whole and healthy with a light straw-yellow colour, and with no more than 10 % of blemishes (traces of worm holes, deformations, etc.), the maximum yield by weight of flour cannot exceed 30 % of the fresh product.’ The maximum moisture content of the flour has been reduced from 15 % to 8 % since, following appropriate laboratory tests, the proposed ratio was found to satisfy the product specification better. These tests found that a moisture content in excess of 8 % could have a negative impact on the preservation of the product over time and alter the organoleptic characteristics of the flour due to a reduction in quality and greater exposure to parasites of various types. The words ‘final [product] placed on the market’ have been added since the incoming product might perhaps contain parasites of varying kinds which are not visible from the outside. During the heat treatment applied, any biotic agents are neutralised, and the outgoing product must be completely free of these at the sorting phase. It has been clarified that the yield is calculated by chestnut weight. The clause ‘the maximum yield by weight of flour cannot exceed 30 % of the fresh product’ has been added to regulate the yield of product ground into flour after the drying and milling phases. Given that the fresh product loses at least 65 % of its initial weight during the drying phase, the maximum yield in flour cannot be higher than 30 %, taking account of the weight of the husk and the losses of product during the milling (dusting) phases of about 5 % on average. The wording is necessary in order to set a production threshold which will be subject to a key control for the prevention of possible fraud.

11. The sentence which reads: ‘The dried product in the shell may be sized for sale, in order to obtain larger pieces’, in Article 7 of the current specification, has been moved one paragraph for reasons of cohesion.

12. The sentence which reads: ‘Packages may vary in weight depending on market needs and must bear the identification mark “Marrone del Mugello” PGI.’ has been supplemented as follows: ‘Packages may vary in weight depending on market needs and must bear the identification mark “Marrone del Mugello” PGI, in accordance with the logo mentioned in Article 10, affixed in such a way as to prevent reuse.’ A reference has been added to the article which specifies the distinctive features of the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ and the manner in which the identification mark is to be affixed. The packaging intended for the final consumer and bearing the identification mark must be sealed in such a way that it can be opened once only and then no longer reused. To this end, the identification marks must be either an integral part of the packaging or placed in such a manner as to be damaged when opened so that they cannot be reused.

13. To avoid referring to legislation the content of which is covered in the product specification, the following sentence has been deleted: ‘The bringing to market and export of the dry product is governed by the rules in the cited Ministerial Decree of 10 July 1939.’

14. The sentence which reads: ‘Other processed products with individually distinguishable nuts obtained from the “Marrone del Mugello” may cite their product of origin.’ has been removed since it is covered within the range of products mentioned in Article 7 of the product specification. This amendment is required in order to adapt the use of the designation on processed products to the provisions of ‘Commission Communication — Guidelines on the labelling of foodstuffs using protected designations of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indications (PGI) as ingredients’ ( Official Journal of the European Union C 341, 16.12.2010, p. 3).

Labelling

Article 8 of the product specification

15. The following two sentences: ‘It is permitted to use, in respect of both the fresh and the processed product, at most two references to the municipality and/or place and/or farm within the area in Article 2 from which the chestnuts with the protected geographical indication actually derive. Of course, the company name and brand may be indicated.’ are amended as follows: ‘It is permitted to use, in respect of both the fresh and the dried product, at most two references to the municipality and/or place and/or farm within the area in Article 2 from which the chestnuts with the protected geographical indication actually derive. Of course, the company name and brand and the size may be indicated.’ The word ‘processed’ has been replaced with ‘dried’, which is more precise and relevant to the content of the preceding Article 7. The option has been added to state the chestnuts' size on the label. The addition of the size was proposed in order to provide commercial information, as the size is often linked to the price of the product. Furthermore, indicating the size on the label allows consumers to quickly assess the size purchased and the homogeneity of the nuts in the pack.

Miscellaneous

Inspection body — Updated legal references

16. Article 9 of the product specification: ‘Producers intending to put their own product on the market with the protected geographical indication “Marrone del Mugello” must enter their chestnut groves, of which at least 95 % of the chestnuts must be of the variety specified in Article 3, in a dedicated public register kept by the mountain community zone “E”, the offices of which are located in Borgo S. Lorenzo, via the municipality in which these chestnut groves are located. The entry in the register referred to in the first paragraph should state the boundaries delimiting the producing farm, the land registry boundaries according to the map and entry excerpts, the area planted with chestnuts, the maximum production per hectare and per nut-bearing tree, the location, the age of the chestnut grove, its phytosanitary condition and the number of trees. Requests to enter any chestnut groves in the register must be filed by 30 June of the year in which the product is intended to be placed on the market with the protected geographical indication. Requests for any amendments to the entries must be filed by the same date.’ is amended as follows: ‘Each phase of the production process is monitored, recording the respective inputs and outputs. This ensures product traceability, as does the fact that the inspection body keeps lists of the land registry parcels where production takes place, and of producers and packagers, and is notified of quantities produced. All natural or legal persons entered in these lists will be checked by the inspection body in accordance with the product specification and the related inspection plan. Compliance with the specification is monitored in accordance with Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. The inspection body responsible for checking the product specification is: Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Firenze (Florence Chamber of Commerce) Palazzo della Borsa Merci Volta dei Mercanti 1 50100 Firenze (FI) ITALIA Tel. +39 05529810 Fax +39 0552981157 Web: www.fi.camcom.it Certified e-mail: cciaa.firenze@fi.legalmail.camcom.it’ The article has been rewritten and updated in line with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. More specifically, the references to the following have been deleted: — the chestnut groves' characteristics, since these are more accurately set out in the new Article 4; — the keeping of the register at the mountain community zone ‘E’, since the register is kept by the inspection body; — the deadline for submitting requests, since this will be set by the inspection body. Finally, the reference to the inspection body has been added.

17. Articles 10-13 of the current specification have been deleted. In the light of the legislation governing inspection bodies and the new provisions in Article 9, Articles 10-13 are now redundant and no longer relevant to the product specification.

18. The product specification has been updated in line with Article 7(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, with the addition of Article 11 below. ‘The geographical link between the chestnut and the Mugello, an area especially well-suited for growing nut-bearing chestnuts, stems mainly from the fact that the local ecotypes of chestnut, all traceable to the Marrone Fiorentino variety, reproduced agamically for many centuries (as confirmed by the presence of many centuries-old trees), besides being genetically suited to the local environment (soils, climate, cultivation methods, etc.) form an indissoluble pair with the area and give the chestnuts characteristics which make them quite distinguishable from those of other areas. Over the centuries, numerous important local, rural and home traditions, methods and practices have been associated with the chestnut tree and nuts, so much so that, in the area, people talk of the existence of a true “chestnut civilisation”. The “Marrone del Mugello” qualities have long been known and appreciated in other areas too, as is shown by the trade with other regions, which also took place in the past.’

19. Logo The following details have been added to define and codify the logo that distinguishes the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ PGI. ‘The “Marrone del Mugello” PGI logo, shown below, is a standard (vertical) rectangle with the dimensions 1:1,35 (short side versus long side) and is formed of the word “MUGELLO” (black; Futura font), positioned along the top of the short side, and the words “MARRONE DEL” running vertically along the far left-hand side (Futura font; colours: “MARRONE” in the colour Pantone 470- C 29 %; M 72 %; Y 100 %; K 23 %; “DEL” in the colour Pantone 368- C 65 %; M 0 %; Y 100 %; K 0 %). All words have a character spacing of 40 % and a word spacing of 3 % of the character scale. Behind the word “Mugello”, against a white background, there is an image of the “Marrone del Mugello”, portrayed as a sun, in the centre, inclined to the right, with the colour varying between two tones, to highlight the nut's roundness, going from light brown (Pantone 1605c — C 40 %; M 80 %; Y 100 %; K 0 %) to dark brown (Pantone 4695c- C 40 %; M 100 %; Y 100 %; K 50 %); the base of the “Marrone del Mugello”, by contrast, changes tone, from left to right, from ochre (Pantone 7413cc- C 20 %; M 60 %; Y 100 %; K 0 %) to light brown (Pantone 1605c- C 40 %; M 80 %; Y 100 %; K 0 %). The nut is set against an artistic impression of the open husk (representing the sun's beams) with a colour which changes tone from the bottom left (Pantone 584c- C 35 %; M 5 %; Y 85 %; K 0 %) to the top right (Pantone 290c — C 30 %; M 0 %; Y 0 %; K 0 %). At the bottom, we see a double “m” (for “Marrone del Mugello”) as a wide, black graphic sign with a space between each “m” to recreate a typical view of the green Mugello hills; the upper hill is shaded in a green colour (Pantone 347- C 100 %; M 0 %; Y 79 %; K 8 %) which extends along the width of the black line down to the base of the logo; the second hill in the foreground is shaded in a light green colour (Pantone 368c- C 60 %; M 0 %; Y 100 %; K 0 %) which extends along the width of the black line down to the words “INDICAZIONE GEOGRAFICA PROTETTA”, written in white, in Futura font, over three lines. The first letter of each word is in Futura Bold; the character spacing is set at least at 40 %; alignment: justified; line spacing: same as character scale. The logo can be resized to suit requirements. The reduction limit is 1,5 times the size of the short side. ’

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘MARRONE DEL MUGELLO’

EU No: PGI-IT-02193 — 28.9.2016

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name

‘Marrone del Mugello’

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

The protected geographical indication ‘Marrone del Mugello’ is reserved for fresh chestnuts in the shell or dried in the shell or shelled or ground into flour or in any other processed form in which the nut remains distinguishable.

The ‘Marrone del Mugello’ fresh in the shell is characterised by a medium-large size (no more than 90 nuts/kg), with a prevalently ellipsoidal shape; not very prominent apex with the presence of tomentum, terminating in style remnants which are also tomentose; normally with one lateral face tending to be flat, the other greatly convex; very rectangular hilum (or base) of a size such as to not extend to the sides of the nut, generally flat and lighter in colour than the pericarp. Thin, reddish-brown pericarp, with 25 to 30 darker, raised, longitudinal striations. The pericarp is easily detached from the episperm, which is chamois-coloured and with little penetration. The seed, normally one per nut, has a flesh which is white, crisp and pleasantly sweet, with a surface almost entirely without grooves; nuts with the seed divided (septate) are rare.

The ‘Marrone del Mugello’ can be brought to market not only as a fresh product but also as a dried product having the following characteristics:

1. in the shell or shelled whole;

2. ground;

obtained using the traditional local method of drying, in drying houses, on grates over a slow, steady fire burning chestnut wood only.

Fresh nuts sized so that there are more than 90 nuts/kg can also be used to obtain the various types of dry product.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The product must be sorted, sized, treated through ‘curing’ in cold water and sterilisation, using known traditional local methods, dried and milled in the production area mentioned in point 4.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Packaging takes place in the area mentioned in point 4; it is traditionally carried out by experienced operators following the production stages in such a way as to prevent the product from being mixed up with different products and guarantee the conditions of quality and traceability laid down for each type, through the use of non-resealable packaging.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

This logo distinguishes the ‘Marrone del Mugello’:

It is prohibited to add any further qualification to the protected geographical indication ‘Marrone del Mugello’ set out in this specification, including the adjectives ‘extra’, ‘superior’, ‘fine’, ‘choice’, ‘selected’ or the like.

It is also forbidden to use any laudatory terms capable of misleading the consumer.

It is permitted to use, in respect of both the fresh and the dried product, at most two references to the municipality and/or place and/or farm within the area in point 4 from which the chestnuts with the protected geographical indication actually derive.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area of the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ forms an integral whole comprising the land of the following municipalities:

Municipality of Barberino di Mugello, Municipality of Borgo S. Lorenzo, Municipality of Dicomano, Municipality of Firenzuola, Municipality of Londa, Municipality of Marradi, Municipality of Palazzuolo Sul Senio, Municipality of Pelago, Municipality of Pontassieve, Municipality of Rufina, Municipality of S. Godenzo, Municipality of Scarperia e San Piero a Sieve, Municipality of Vaglia, Municipality of Vicchio Mugello.

5. Link with the geographical area

The geographical link between the chestnut and the Mugello, an area especially well-suited for growing nut-bearing chestnuts, stems mainly from the fact that the local ecotypes of chestnut, all traceable to the Marrone Fiorentino variety, reproduced agamically for many centuries (as confirmed by the presence of many centuries-old trees), besides being genetically suited to the local environment (soils, climate, cultivation methods, etc.) form an indissoluble pair with the area and give the chestnuts characteristics which make them quite distinguishable from those of other areas by their shape (slightly flattened), hilum (rectangular) and colour (reddish brown with darker, raised, longitudinal striations). Over the centuries, numerous important local, rural and home traditions, methods and practices have been associated with the chestnut tree and nuts, so much so that, in the area, people talk of the existence of a true ‘chestnut civilisation’.

The ‘Marrone del Mugello’ qualities have long been known and appreciated in other areas too, as is shown by the trade with other regions, which also took place in the past.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The Ministry launched the national objection procedure with the publication of the proposal to recognise the ‘Marrone del Mugello’ PGI in Official Gazette of the Italian Republic No 187 of 11 August 2016.

The consolidated text of the product specification can be consulted online at: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or

accessed directly via the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) by clicking on ‘Prodotti DOP e IGP’ (top right of the page), then on ‘Prodotti DOP, IGP e STG’ (left-hand side of the page) and then on ‘Disciplinari di produzione all'esame dell'UE’.

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