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

(2003/C 206/05)

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 recognised 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.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION: ARTICLE 5

PDO ( ) PGI (x)

National application No: 61

1. Responsible department in the Member State Name: Subdirección General de Sistemas de Calidad Diferenciada, Dirección General de Alimentación -- Secretaría General de Agricultura y Alimentación del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, España

Address: Paseo Infanta Isabel, 1, E-28014 Madrid

Tel. (34) 913 47 53 94

Fax (34) 913 47 54 10

2. Applicant group 2.1. Name: Cooperativa Comarcal del Campo, Miraflores

2.2. Address: C/ Majuelo de las Monjas, s/n

E-28792 Miraflores de la Sierra (Madrid)

Tel. (34) 918 44 54 77

2.3. Composition: Producer/processor (x) other ( )

3. Type of product: Fresh meat, Class 1.1.

4. Specification (Summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama.

4.2. Description: the product to be protected is from beef/veal cattle of the breeds Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Limousin and Charolais, and crosses thereof.

The Avileña-Negra Ibérica is an indigenous breed producing high-quality meat and originates in the mountain areas in the central of the Iberian Peninsula in which is located the production area for the Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama Protected Geographical Indication.

A considerable proportion of the cattle, up to 60 % of the dams, is of the Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed.

Experience over a number of decades has shown the Limousin and Charolais breeds to be perfectly adapted to the production area of the Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama PGI.

Before slaughter, the animals are classified as follows, according to their age and feed regime:

Ternera: female animal weaned at a minimum of five months old intended for slaughter at a maximum of 14 months after a minimum of three months intensive fattening, with a minimum carcase weight of 150 kg.

Añojo: animal weaned at a minimum of five months old intended for slaughter at a maximum of 16 months after a minimum of three months fattening, with a minimum carcase weight of 225 kg.

Cebón: male animal castrated at a minimum of one month, weaned at a minimum of five months and intended for slaughter at a maximum of 18 months.

The characteristics of the protected products are as follows:

Ternera: the meat is pale red or pink, with evenly distributed white fat; the muscle is firm and slightly moist.

Añojo: the meat is pale red to vivid reddish-purple with white/creamy-coloured fat; the muscle is firm to the touch, slightly moist and with a fine texture.

Cebón: the meat has creamy-coloured fat and the muscle is of firm consistency, slightly moist and with fatty striations, although without excessive pockets of fat.

The carcases have E.U.R. conformation, with fat cover of grades 2, 3 and 4. The pH value of the meat is less than 6. Carcases are aired for a minimum of 24 hours and matured for a minimum of five days.

4.3. Geographical area: The production area consists of the following agricultural districts in the Autonomous Community of Madrid: Lozoya-Somosierra and parts of the agricultural districts of Guadarrama, Área Metropolitana de Madrid, Campiña and the Suroccidental area.

The area in which the animals are to be slaughtered and dressed covers the whole Autonomous Community of Madrid.

4.4. Proof of origin: The proof that Sierra de Guadarrama meat comes from this area is as follows: the carcasses are produced from bovine animals taken from holdings registered in the Livestock Holding Register for suckler cows and fattening farms.

Cattle holdings will be located in the production area indicated and the bull calves/heifers will have been born and reared on these holdings.

The bull calves/heifers will be identified by an eartag bearing the PGI logo.

The animals will be slaughtered and dressed in slaughterhouses, cutting and packing plants that are in the Regulatory Council's industrial registers.

Inspectors from the Regulatory Council will determine the eligibility of carcasses for protection under the PGI scheme.

4.5. Method of production: The carcasses will come from beef/veal cattle, born in this area, of the breeds Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Limousin, Charolais, and crosses thereof.

Weather conditions allow cattle to remain in high mountain pastures from spring to autumn. Winter frosts mean that the animals have to be brought down to pasture at lower altitudes but the cattle graze in the open throughout the year.

Production is in two stages:

- lactation: until weaning (5 or 6 months). Fed with dam's milk and fodder, animals are kept in the field with their dams.

- growth and fattening: from weaning to slaughter (12-18 months). In the three months before slaughter, the animals are finished by intensive fattening with feedingstuffs authorised by the Regulatory Council. Apart from these final three months, in this stage the animals are kept in the field as long as possible to take advantage of the area's natural feed, and their diet is supplemented with authorised feedingstuffs only when the natural feed runs out. The animals protected under the PGI scheme will be slaughtered in authorised slaughterhouses and separately from non-PGI animals. The carcasses will be aired for at least 24 hours and matured for at least five days.

Animals registered under the PGI "Sierra de Guadarrama" will be slaughtered at the following ages:

- Ternera: no more than 14 months

- Añojo: no more than 16 months

- Cebón: no more than 18 months.

4.6. Link: Slaughter cattle have traditionally been raised in the Sierra de Madrid, making rational use of pastures, a natural resource renewed each year. Since time immemorial, cattle have been left free to graze on mountains and in meadows, producing meat that consumers recognise and appreciate for its flavour and tenderness.

This extensive grazing system, with a balanced mix of woodland and pasture, aids nature conservation, preventing fires and reducing the damage they cause.

Numerous historical works show that life in the production area of the PGI was that typical of mountain zones, in which self-sufficiency based on stockfarming was the rule.

The production area is in the mountains (Sierra) in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, where the topography and climate make stockfarming attractive. The area is little suited to arable farming due to its hilly terrain (which impedes the use of machinery), low soil fertility and harsh climate.

The traditional cattle breed in these mountains was Avileña-Negra Ibérica, commonly known as Serrana ("highland cattle") due to their location. They were used as draught animals, mainly for transporting stone (in plentiful supply in the Sierra de Madrid).

As these animals gradually ceased to be used as draught animals, local farmers began to switch instead to meat production. The grassland in the area, both wild meadows and maintained pastureland, supports beef/veal cattle farming. As an adaptable breed suited to the conditions, Avileña-Negra Ibérica was introduced and became the dominant breed in the Sierra de Madrid. Several decades ago crosses were performed with breed-improving genotypes. The breeds that yielded the best results in crosses with the native breed were Limousin and Charolais, which also adapted very well to the production area.

The climate in the production area allows the animals to live practically throughout the year on the area's natural resources. Even in the months when the weather conditions are much harsher, their diet continues to be based on natural feed from the area.

Demand for this high-quality meat exceeds supply, due to the large consumer market in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. The total output is sold, half in metropolitan Madrid and the rest elsewhere in the Community.

According to the June 2001 "Results of the Study into the Cost-efficiency of the Beef and Veal Promotion Campaign for Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama", an assessment of the results of promotion and information campaigns for this product, recognition levels for Carne Sierra de Guadarrama in the production area - the Autonomous Community of Madrid - were around 40 % based on figures from the National Institute of Statistics.

Production is increasing every year, although the natural environment for producing Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama is limited and, what is more, extensive stockfarming methods are required to produce high-quality meat. These limitations ensure that there will be no uncontrolled growth in the headage count of these animals.

4.7. Inspection body: Name: Consejo Regulador de la I.G.P. "Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama"

Address: Complejo Agropecuario, Ctra. de Guadalix, km 2,5 E - 28770 Colmenar Viejo ( Madrid )

Tel. (34) 918 45 15 06

The inspection body complies with standard EN-45011.

4.8. Labelling: All the carcasses will be marked with a stamp bearing the PGI logo and the carcass class and have a non-reusable numbered tag authorised by the Regulatory Council attached to all four quarters. Where cuts are despatched pre-packed, the packages will bear the appropriate numbered labels with the PGI logo, provided by the Regulatory Council, which will state the type of product (Ternera, Añojo or Cebón), cut, packing date and sell-by date.

4.9. National requirements: Law 25/1970, of 2 December 1970.

EC No: ES/00124/00.04.07.

Date full application received: 27 June 2003.