EN Official Journal of the European Union C 269/16

Publication of an 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

(2008/C 269/05)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (1). Statements of objection must reach the Commission within six months from the date of this publication.

SUMMARY

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

‘ABBACCHIO ROMANO’

EC No: IT-PGI-005-0293-21.05.2003

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

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 e forestali Address: Via XX Settembre, 20 — I-00187 Roma Tel. (39) 06 481 99 68 Fax (39) 06 42 01 31 26 E-mail: qtc3@politicheagricole.it

2. Group:

Name: Comitato promotore della Denominazione di Origine Protetta «Caseus Romae», «Ricotta Romana», «Caciotta Romana» e della Indicazione Geografica Tipica «Abbacchio Romano» Address: Via Raffaele Piria, 6 — Roma Tel. (39) 06 407 30 90 Fax (39) 06 407 37 83 E-mail: — Composition: Producers/processors ( X ) Other ( )

3. Type of product:

Class 1.1 — Fresh meat (and offal)

4. Specification:

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

4.1. Name: ‘Abbacchio Romano’

4.2. Description: The PGI ‘Abbacchio Romano’ is exclusively restricted to lambs born, raised and slaughtered in the zone indicated at 4.3. On release for consumption the meat has the following characteristics: light pink with white fat cover; fine texture; solid, lightly marbled with fat. Carcasses must display the following features on slaughter: cold weight, without skin, with head and pluck: 8 kg maximum; colour of flesh: light pink (particular emphasis is put on the internal muscles of the abdominal wall); consistency of muscular masses: solid (absence of serosity); colour of fat: white; consistency of fat: solid (with particular emphasis on the fat mass above the point of attachment of the tail, at 18-20 °C ambient temperature); fat cover: moderate over the external surface of the carcass but not excessive over the kidneys. Release for consumption can be of the whole carcass or in the following other cuts: whole; half-carcass (obtained by sagittal sectioning); spalla (shoulder); leg; chops; head and pluck (heart, lungs and liver). The meat may be cut outside the production zone specified at 4.3.

4.3. Geographical area: The entire territory of the Region of Lazio.

4.4. Proof of origin: Every stage in the production process must be monitored and a record made of the inputs and outputs at each stage. This, together with lists managed by the monitoring body recording the farmers, producers and packagers, the keeping of production and packaging registers and the declaration of the quantities produced, ensures the product can be traced throughout the whole chain of production. Furthermore, the animals intended for the production of the ‘Abbacchio Romano’ PGI must be identified within ten days of birth by a tag or button affixed to the left ear the front of which shows the identification code of the holding in letters and figures and the back the lamb's serial number. All natural and legal persons recorded in the appropriate lists are subject to checks by the monitoring body, according to the terms of the specification and the corresponding monitoring plan.

4.5. Method of production: The raw material of the ‘Abbacchio Romano’ is the meat and parts of male and female lambs of the following breeds: the Sarda, Comisana, Sopravvissana, Massese and Merinizzata Italiana breeds and crosses. The lambs are slaughtered at between 28 and 40 days old. The lambs are recognised in line with the provisions of the Community Regulations as of the following type: ‘Milk’ lamb (up to 8 kg dead weight). The animals are reared in the free-range and semi-free range. Use is allowed of suitably constructed shelters the state of hygiene of which guarantees the animals' welfare. Satisfactory ventilation, natural light and flooring are of particular importance. The lambs must be fed with their mothers' milk (natural breastfeeding). Supplementary grazing on natural foods and wild plants is permitted.

The mother ewes graze on the natural and sown pasture and meadow land typical of the production zone (point 4.3). Supplementary dried fodder and concentrates are permitted but not synthetic or genetically modified products. The lambs and ewes must not be subjected to forced feeding, environmental stress or hormonal treatment designed to boost production. Traditional mountain grazing in the summer is permitted. Slaughter must take place 24 hours of entry to the abattoir by clean severing of the jugular vein followed by skinning and removal of the fore and hind feet.

The lambs must be born, raised and slaughtered in the Region of Lazio.

4.6. Link: The ‘Abbacchio Romano’ has had, since time immemorial, a strong link with the Region's countryside, which is proven not only by the importance of sheep raising for the economy and traditions of the Region of Lazio as a whole but also by its long-standing reputation with consumers. The PGI product has such a considerable impact on the regional gastronomy and plays such a fundamental role in the cooking of Rome and the Region of Lazio that is the basis of approximately a hundred different dishes. At social level, the link between the product and the geographical area is proven by the numerous rural festivals, feasts and shows in the Region of Lazio that are centred on the ‘Abbacchio Romano’. It is worth noting that the Roman word ‘abbacchio’ is used uniformly in the Region of Lazio. As a matter of fact, according to the Chiappino Dictionary of Roman dialect, the term ‘abbacchio’ refers to ‘a suckling lamb or a lamb that has recently stopped being breastfed; a lamb of almost one year of age that has been shorn twice already. In Florence both are called “lamb”’. Roman terms such as ‘sbacchiattura’ and ‘abbacchiatura’ (slaughter of such animals) are also used for a number of operations carried out on the ‘abbacchio’.

The combination of these human factors give the product those unique characteristics that have gained the ‘Abbacchio Romano’ an unquestionable reputation. There are numerous of historical references regarding the Roman Abbacchio, some going back to ancient times.

4.7. Inspection body:

Name: CCIAA di Roma Address: Via De' Burro, 147 — I-00186 Roma Tel. (39) 06 679 59 37 Fax — E-mail: —

4.8. Labelling: The product must be released for consumption bearing the specific logo in order to identify it and guarantee its origin.

Marking must be carried out at the abattoir. The meat is displayed for the sale in the cuts described in point 4.2.

In addition to the Community graphic symbol and indications and the information required by law, the packaging must carry on the label the following indications in clear and legible print:

the name ‘Abbacchio Romano’ must appear in clear indelible letters that are significantly larger than and markedly different from all other writing. It must be followed by ‘Indicazione Geografica Protetta’ and/or ‘I.G.P.’,

the name, business name, address of the producing or packaging enterprise,

the logo must be impressed on the carcass surface so that it lies on the outward side of the cuts,

the logo takes the form of a square made up of three coloured lines, green, white and red, interrupted above by a wavy red line linked to a red oval within the square containing a stylised lamb's head. The square is interrupted below by the red capital letters ‘I.G.P.’. Within the lower part of the square are the words ‘ABBACCHIO’ in yellow capitals and ‘ROMANO’ in red capitals.

The name ‘Abbacchio Romano’ must be in Italian.

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