EN Official Journal of the European Union C 323/16

Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin

(2005/C 323/06)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 7 and 12d of the abovementioned Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent authority in a Member State, in a WTO member country or in a third country recognized in accordance with Article 12(3) within a time limit of six months from the date of this publication. The arguments for publication are set out below, in particular under 4.6, and are considered to justify the application within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

‘AGNEAU DE SISTERON’

EC No: FR/00316/15.10.2003

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

This summary has been produced for information only. For full details, the producers of the products covered by the PGI in question in particular are invited to consult the full version of the product specification at national level or at the European Commission (1).

1. Responsible department in the Member State:

Name: Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO) Address: 51, rue d'Anjou — F-75008 Paris Tel: (33-1) 53 89 80 00 Fax: (33-1) 42 25 57 97 e-mail: info@inao.gouv.fr

2. Group:

2.1. Name: Association CESAR (Cabinet d'Études pour les Structures Agroalimentaires Régionales)

2.2. Address:

Maison Régionale de l'Élevage, Route de la Durance, F-04100 Manosque Tel: (33-4) 92 72 28 80 Fax: (33-4) 92 72 73 13 e-mail: pacabev@wanadoo.fr

2.3. Composition: producers/processors ( X ) other ( )

3. Type of product:

Group 1.1: Fresh meat (and offal)

4. Specification:

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: ‘Agneau de Sisteron’

4.2. Description: ‘Agneau de Sisteron’ is a light young lamb (between 70 and 150 days old) with light-coloured, fine, smooth and mild-tasting flesh.

Fresh meat, sold as carcases, cuts, fresh half-carcases, cuts ready for dressing, pieces for sale to the consumer.

The lambs are raised on sheep farms and remain with their mothers for at least 60 days. If weather conditions permit, they may accompany their mothers to pasture.

4.3. Geographical area: The lambs are born and raised on the same sheep farm having its headquarters in the defined PGI ‘Agneau de Sisteron’ area. They are slaughtered in an EC-approved slaughterhouse located in that area.

The whole of the Department of Hautes-Alpes.

The whole of the Department of Alpes de Haute-Provence.

The Department of Alpes Maritimes, except the cantons of Antibes-Biot, Saint Laurent du Var, Villefranche sur Mer, Vallauris, Mandelieu, Le Cannet, Nice, Vence, Cagnes sur Mer, Carros, Mougins, Menton, Grasse, Antibes, Cannes.

The Department of Var, except the cantons of Fréjus, Grimaud, Ollioules, Saint-tropez, Soliès Port, La Crau, Saint Mandrier sur Mer, Saint Raphaël, Six Four les plages, La Valette du Var, La Garde, La Seyne sur Mer, Toulon.

The Department of Bouches du Rhône, except the cantons of Aix en Provence nord-est, Aix en Provence sud-ouest, Aubagne, La Ciotat, Gardanne, Port Saint Louis du Rhône, Roquevaire, Saintes Maries de la Mer, Allauch, Marignane, Châteauneuf Côte Bleue, Martigues ouest, Les Pennes Mirabeau, Vitrolles, Martigues, Marseille.

The Department of Vaucluse, except the cantons of Bollène, Orange ouest, Avignon nord.

The Department of Drôme, except the cantons of Bourg de Péage, Chabeuil, La Chapelle en Vercors, Le Grand-Serre, Loriol sur Drôme, Montélimar, Pierrelatte, Romans sur Isère, St Donnat sur l'Herbass, St Jean en Royans, Saint Vallier, Tain l'Hermitage, Bourg les Valence, Portes les Valence, Valence.

This area is that in which the three local sheep breeds are found and has homogeneous extensive livestock-farming systems exploiting the local pastureland. The soil and weather conditions are characterised by an Emberger drought index of IS< 7. This is the area in which the wholesale butchers of Sisteron historically obtained their supplies and which is the basis for the reputation enjoyed by ‘Agneau de Sisteron’.

4.4. Proof of origin: The lambs are identified with an official mark in accordance with the applicable rules.

The traceability of the sheep farm at the point of sale is therefore ensured and checked by an independent body. This means that at each stage of production the meat can be traced back to the lamb and the holding on which it was born.

4.5. Method of production: Breeding flocks consist of rams and ewes of local hardy breeds: Mérinos d'Arles, Préalpes du Sud, Mourérous, or crosses of these breeds. Rams of the breeds Ile de France, Charolais, Suffolk or Berrichon only may be used for the production of meat.

The method of managing the breeding flock is specific to the region. It entails extensive rearing systems with livestock limited to 1.4 LU per ha of total feed-crop area. In addition, these systems require pasture land (summer mountain pasture, grazing). Pasture land consists of semi-natural areas that may only be used for the grazing of flocks.

Minimum lying area: 1,5 m2 for ewes at the end of gestation and during lactation; 0,5 m2 for lambs of more than two months.

Length of trough/feeding rack:

for ewes: 1 m linear for 3 ewes if the feed is distributed in limited quantities or 1 m linear for 30 ewes where feed distribution is self-service.

for weaned lambs: 1 m linear for 4 lambs where the feed is distributed in limited quantities and 1 m linear for 12 lambs where feed distribution is self-service.

The administering of antibiotics as a preventive measure is banned.

The ewes are grazed from at least spring to autumn, and possibly also receive fodder and a recognised feed supplement.

The lambs are fed on their mothers' milk only for at least 60 days, and receive grass and/or fodder, together with a cereal feed supplement. After natural weaning, they receive fodder and/or are grazed, and are given an approved feed supplement. During their lives at least 45 % of the feed they receive originates in the PGI area (milk, 100 % of the grass and fodder other than in exceptional weather conditions).

Silage may not be given to the lambs.

After transportation, slaughter and airing, carcases are selected by a qualified person.

4.6. Link:

4.6.1 Distinct quality linked to origin: — Specific soil and weather conditions (influence of the Mediterranean climate on the entire PGI area, shown by an Emberger drought index of <7(a), and featuring limiting drought and cold factors and irregular plant cover growth), imposing extensive management of local hardy breeds of ewes and the rearing of lambs for the most part in sheep housing (to protect them against heat mainly). — Three local hardy breeds are typical of the defined PGI area: Mérinos d'Arles, Préalpes du Sud, Mourérous and are found almost exclusively in the geographical area. — Characteristic rearing systems: extensive management of flocks and use of pasture land (summer mountain pasture, grazing). — A strong link with the area: lambs are grazed and fed on milk and fodder produced principally on the holding. — This type of management produces young lambs with specific characteristics in terms of conformation, light-coloured flesh and fat, and mild-tasting and smooth meat.

4.6.2 The historical reputation of ‘Agneau de Sisteron’: Sheepfarming in France has its historic birthplace in the south-east of the country. For over 6 000 years sheep have been grazing on its pastures. Rooted in this ancient tradition, the name ‘Agneau de Sisteron’ first appeared in the 1920s and 1930s, on the initiative of Sisteron's wholesale butchers, who traditionally obtained their supplies in the defined PGI area. The regional and national renown of the name has gone on growing and literally soared in the 1950s and 1960s. Sisteron is the focus of this renown but the lamb is born, reared and slaughtered across the whole of the PGI geographical area. The region can be said therefore to have acquired the historical local expertise. A recent public awareness survey conducted by an independent consultancy, together with numerous accounts (newspaper articles, etc.) confirm that Sisteron lamb is very widely known among consumers (1 regional consumer in 8 spontaneously mentions Sisteron as the place from which lamb that has been purchased comes).

4.6.3 ‘Agneau de Sisteron’, human expertise: The production of ‘Agneau de Sisteron’ is the result of a build-up of expertise developed over years by partners in the sector: the expertise of sheepfarmers (adapting the management of flocks to environmental constraints, the historical selection of hardy breeds, the expertise of shepherds, the method of producing lambs); the expertise of wholesale butchers (historically providing advice to sheepfarmers, selecting live animals and carcases); know-how in handling slaughter tools and equipment; the expertise of producer organisations (shepherding in mountain areas, out-of-season lambing, genetic improvement).

4.7. Inspection body:

Name: QUALISUD Address: BP N° 102 — Agropôle — F-47000 Agen Tel: (33-5) 58 06 53 30 Fax: (33-5) 58 75 13 36 e-mail: qualisud@wanadoo.fr

4.8. Labelling: Indication Géographique Protégée

‘Agneau de Sisteron’

4.9 National requirements: —

(1) European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture, Agricultural product quality policy, B-1049 Brussels.