EN Official Journal of the European Union C 182/23

Publication of an application 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

2014/C 182/08

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

AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2)

APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9

‘EKSTRA DEVIŠKO OLJČNO OLJE SLOVENSKE ISTRE’

EC No: SI-PDO-0105-01145 – 08.08.2013

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Heading in the specification affected by the amendment

—

☐

—

☒

—

☐

—

☐

—

☒

—

☐

—

☒

—

☐

—

☐

2. Type of amendment(s)

—

☒

—

☐

—

☐

—

☐

3. Amendments

3.1. Description

The following sentence is added to the product description: ‘The content of Istrska belica olives must be at least 30 %’. This sentence is included in the current specification, whereas it was left out of the Summary.

Additional stricter parameters have been introduced to guarantee the olive oil’s superior quality, namely

— acidity (free fatty acid content) (% w/w) expressed as oleic acid: ≤ 0,3

— K232 ≤ 2,3

— K268 ≤ 0,2

— total biophenols (mg/kg), using the HPLC method: ≥ 150

— organoleptic assessment ≥ 7

— median fruitiness over 2.

3.2. Method of production

With a view to improving the quality of the end product, a stricter parameter has been laid down whereby the time from harvesting to processing is reduced from 48 to 24 hours.

3.3. Labelling

The following sentence is deleted from the Summary and Specification: ‘To ensure traceability, the association will issue labels with serial numbers in accordance with the register of producers of olive oil of designated origin.’ All producers of ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’, whether or not they are members of the association, must be allowed to produce olive oil and be certified. Producers of ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ who are not members of the association must label every bottle of the olive oil in such a way as to guarantee the traceability of the bottled oil beyond any doubt.

The labelling must also indicate the year of production on the packaging.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (3)

‘EKSTRA DEVIŠKO OLJČNO OLJE SLOVENSKE ISTRE’

EC No: SI-PDO-0105-01145 – 08.08.2013

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’

2. Member State or Third Country

Slovenia

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oil, etc.)

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

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’, which enjoys ‘protected designation of origin’ status, is produced from olive trees that grow in the area of Slovenian Istria.

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ is distinguished by its high oleic acid content (≥ 72), low linoleic acid content (≤ 8,0) and high antioxidant content.

The packaging of ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ must bear the following information:

Acidity (free fatty acid content) (% w/w), expressed as oleic acid:

≤ 0,3

Peroxide value (mmol O2/kg): ≤ 7

K232 ≤ 2,3

K268 ≤ 0,2

Total biophenols (mg/kg), using the HPLC method: ≥ 150

The oil has a characteristic fruity aroma reminiscent of olives and other fruits. The oil must have no organoleptic defects and its overall organoleptic rating must be ≥ 7,0 and its median for fruitiness above 2.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ must be produced from the following varieties of olive: Istrska belica, Leccino, Buga, Črnica, Maurino, Frantoio and Pendolino, with other varieties totalling no more than 20 %. The content of Istrska belica olives must be at least 30 %, except in the case of oil produced from a single variety, which must contain at least 80 % of the declared variety.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—

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

The processes of growing, harvesting, storing and pressing the olives, processing and storing the oil, and sampling and quality control before bottling of ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ must take place in the defined geographical area referred to under point 4.

3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ must be packaged in the geographical area to ensure better control of the oil with a protected designation of origin and to prevent the characteristics of the unpackaged oil from being diminished during transportation and bottling. If the olive oil is transported under inappropriate conditions – e.g. it is shaken, transported at unsuitable temperatures or exposed to sunlight and oxygen – or stored incorrectly, the quality of the oil, and especially its biophenol content and aromatic characteristics, may be considerably diminished. Bottling outside the area, with more frequent transfer from one container to another, transportation and handling, and prolonged exposure to unsuitable climatic conditions could cause the special characteristics of the olive oil required under point 3.2 to be lost.

It may be packaged in glass or metal containers of up to five litres in volume. The packaging must have an opening system that does not allow for re-sealing once opened.

Oil from different harvest years may not be mixed.

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

The packaging must be labelled in such a way that the traceability of the bottled oil is guaranteed beyond any doubt. The name ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ must be visible on the label. The product’s harvest year must be indicated.

Given that the temperature of processing must be below 27 °C, the label may bear the wording: ‘hladno stiskanje’ (cold pressing) or ‘prvo hladno stiskanje’ (first cold pressing).

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ is produced in the geographical area of Slovenian Istria. The boundaries of Slovenian Istria are as follows:

— to the north, the national border with Italy,

— to the west by the sea,

— to the south by the national border with Croatia, and

— to the east by the edge of the Karst region.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Slovenia’s coast lies in the part of the Mediterranean where the intercontinental sea indents furthest into central Europe. The climate is sub-Mediterranean. The microclimatic conditions are quite marked and the climate is very changeable owing to intense inflows of cold air.

The geographical area is characterised by various winds: bora (a dry, cold wind that blows on clear days from the eastern Adriatic coast towards the sea), sirocco (or jugo; a warm, humid wind that blows from east-southeast to south-southeast), mistral (a low-altitude wind blowing from the sea), burin, levant, tramontane and lebič.

The average annual rainfall in Slovenian Istria (including snow) is 1 000 mm. During the vegetation period from April to September, the Koper area receives around 500 mm of rainfall.

The predominant soil type in Slovenian Istria is eutric cambisol on carbonate flysch (the base saturation rate is above 50 %).

The majority of olive groves in Slovenian Istria are such that mechanised harvesting of the olives is impossible; olives are therefore hand-picked directly from the tree so as to ensure the utmost integrity of the fruit and thus a higher quality of olive oil.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The special characteristic of olive oils from Slovenian Istria comes from oils produced from Istrska belica olives picked at optimal ripeness. These oils have a much higher content of antioxidants known as biophenols. A minimum Istrska belica content (30 %) is therefore stipulated for extra virgin olive oils from Slovenian Istria.

‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ is characterised by a fruity aroma reminiscent of olives and other fruit, with mild to medium intensity. The median intensity of fruitiness is above 2. For this reason ‘Ekstra deviško oljčno olje Slovenske Istre’ is characterised by its bitter, spicy flavour.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

Slovenian Istria enjoys a very favourable geographical situation for olive-growing as this is where the Mediterranean – with its characteristic climate – reaches its most northerly point, enabling the growth of domestic varieties that give the oil its characteristic aroma and that have a high content of (antioxidants known as) biophenols owing to the large proportion of Istrska belica olives. The special nature of the soil also contributes to the olives’ character: the predominant soil in Slovenian Istria is eutric cambisol on carbonate flysch, the type on which olive trees thrive.

The oil obtains its characteristics from the climate, varieties, prompt processing (the picked fruit may not be stored for more than 24 hours from the time of picking), processing technology (cold pressing of olives, where the temperature may not exceed 27 C) and protection from pests (subject to the requirements of integrated production, or similar, or organic olive growing). Owing to the cultivation of olive trees on terraces, mechanised picking is difficult, and so hand-picking of olives is another special feature that can guarantee better quality oil (undamaged fruit).

Olive-oil production in Slovenian Istria is a tradition stretching far back into the past. The Greek historian Pausanius (180-115 BC) mentions Istrian olive oil in his Description of Greece (10.32.19). There are references to oil production in the region in many sources from 1201 to the 17th century and right up to the present day. These show how the production of olive oil in Slovenian Istria has developed through the centuries. The traditional methods and the knowledge acquired down the centuries still contribute today to the high quality of the region’s olive oil.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4))

http://www.mko.gov.si/fileadmin/mko.gov.si/pageuploads/podrocja/Varna_in_kakovostna_hrana_in_krma/zasciteni_kmetijski_pridelki/Specifikacije/EDOOSI.pdf

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

(2) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(4) See footnote 3.