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

(2004/C 98/09)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 7 and 12d of the above mentioned 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.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION: ARTICLE 5

PDO ( ) PGI (x)

National application No: 110

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 de España

Address: Paseo Infanta Isabel, 1, E-28071 Madrid

Tel. (34) 913 47 53 94

Fax (34) 913 47 54 10

2. Applicant group 2.1. Name: Asociación de Panaderos de Cea

2.2. Address: Carretera de Castrelo, E-32141 Cea (Ourense)

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

3. Type of product: Bakery product, Category 2.4.

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

4.1. Name: "Pan de Cea"

4.2. Description: The product covered by the Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is bread made from wheat flour, fresh water and edible salt, to which previously made masa madre (natural yeast dough) is added to ensure fermentation. The mixture is painstakingly kneaded in several stages, according to the area's traditions. Finally, the dough is cooked in pre-heated, wood-burning granite ovens of a design typical of the area.

The bread has the following characteristics:

- Shape: long, rounded at the ends, with a transverse indentation across the centre of the upper surface known as a fenda, which gives the bread its characteristic appearance, dividing it into two equal, convex parts.

- Presentation: the bread is presented in two different weights and sizes:

- Loaf or "poia":

- weight between 1 and 1,2 kg,

- width/length ratio of around 1:2, with a width of between 15 and 18 cm and a length of between 32 and 38 cm.

- Half-loaf or "molete":

- weight of between 0,5 and 0,6 kg,

- width/length ratio of around 1:2, with a width of between 9 and 11 cm and a length of between 22 and 27 cm.

- Crust:

- rough, of a thickness that varies, even on the same loaf, between around 0,5 and 1 cm,

- hard, rigid consistency, crunchy when broken, with a tendency to split into layers,

- colour ranging from golden to dark chestnut,

- toasted flavour.

- Inside:

- spongy, fibrous and firm texture,

- cells not abundant, of varying size and distributed irregularly,

- colour of parchment, reminiscent of whole wheat grain,

- intense wheat flavour.

4.3. Geographical area: The production area for bread covered by the Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is the Municipality of San Cristovo de Cea, in the north-west of the Province of Ourense.

4.4. Proof of origin: The Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) may be used only for bread presenting the typical characteristics, baked in suitable ovens located in the production area and made using the traditional method in accordance with the rules laid down in the Specification and the Quality Manual.

In order to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Specification and the Quality Manual, the Inspection and Certification Body will keep a register of bakeries. All natural and legal persons who own bakeries entered on the register, their facilities and their products, will be subject to checks to ensure that products bearing the Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) fulfil the provisions of the Specification.

The checks will cover bakeries, documents and analyses of raw materials and finished products. Checks will also be made to ensure that the quantity of bread covered by the PGI despatched by each undertaking is in line with its production capacity.

Where it is found that bread has not been produced in accordance with the requirements of the Specification and the Quality Manual or shows defects or significant deterioration, it may not be marketed under the Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication.

Bread covered by the PGI will bear a numbered guarantee seal, label or secondary label issued, checked and supplied by the Inspection Body in accordance with the rules laid down in the Quality Manual.

4.5. Method of production: The wheat may be delivered to the bakery, either as whole grains or milled, in new sacks of jute, cotton, paper or other authorised material, which must be clearly marked with the origin. It must then be stored at a suitable temperature and humidity until required.

The production process involves the following phases:

- Kneading: the flour is poured into the kneading trough or a kneading machine and a shape similar to a volcano is created, into which water, salt and the masa madre from the previous batch are added. The mixture is then kneaded for at least 60 minutes if done manually, the time being reduced to 45 minutes when a mechanical kneading machine is used.

- Rest (durmi-lo neno): the dough is left to rest for between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on environmental conditions.

- Dividing of the dough (tasar): the dough is divided by hand into pieces weighing approximately 1,5 kg or 0,75 kg, according to the size of loaf to be produced.

- Rekneading (tenda): the pieces of dough are kneaded for a second time and then left to rest for 25 to 30 minutes. The dough is usually given three tendas, although this may be reduced to two under favourable conditions, in which case the dough is left to rest for a longer time after the second tenda.

- Placing in the oven: a transverse cut (fenda) is made in the centre of the upper surface of each piece of dough and they are then placed in the oven. They are so distributed in the oven that they are away from the source of heat, thus ensuring that the batch is cooked evenly.

- Cooking: when the full batch has been placed in the oven, the oven is closed and the dough is left to cook for a minimum of 120 minutes.

- Cooling: after being removed from the oven, the bread must be left to mature and cool for a minimum of one hour on shelves made of wood or other authorised materials, allowing moisture to escape before the bread is despatched.

4.6. Link Historic link:

The origins of San Cristovo de Cea and of its breadmaking tradition are closely linked to the history of the Cistercian Monastery of Santa María la Real de Oseira, where the arts of grinding and breadmaking were never forgotten and for which the necessary means were obtained, Villa de Cea being the main supplier of bread.

The first historical reference to the bakers of Cea dates from the final third of the XIII century, when King Don Sancho IV granted the Monastery of Santa María la Real de Oseira the right to build a church and to hold a monthly fair in Coto de Cea, to be held "eight days before the calendas of Monterroso". The Monastery was also authorised to "henceforth obtain white bread" made for the monks by the bakers of Cea. These privileges are set out in the "Tumbo de Oseira", folios 14 and 15, and in the "Libro de los privilegios", folios 95 and 96, extracted in 1407 from a notarial copy.

In the years following the grant of privileges by King Don Sancho IV, breadmaking activities developed in the area, requiring the construction of ovens, evidence for which is provided by various land-use contracts from the end of the XIIIth century, which are documented and which refer to the presence of ovens.

Other, later documents reflect the importance of breadmaking in Cea. The Libro de la Cofradía de San Lorenzo (1624), referring to the organisation of the feast held each year in honour of the saint, stipulates that "the musicians attending the feast shall be provided with a ram, a barrel of wine and a sack of wheat for cooking. In addition, the baker shall be paid for her services ...".

During the rule of the House of Austria, breadmaking activity increased in Villa de Cea, as can be seen from commentaries held in the archives. These also reveal that it was mainly the women who worked at the ovens, which only confirms the division of labour that had developed in earlier times, according to which the women were responsible for all tasks connected with the hearth, and by extension with fire.

During the XVIIIth century, the new House of Bourbon undertook to modernise the kingdom. In order to achieve that aim, it undertook a number of projects, one of which, during the reign of Fernando VI, was the drawing up of the Catastro de Ensenada. This lists 15 bakers in Cea at the end of 1752 out of a total population of 82. We also have the names of the 12 bakeries listed in the "Real de Legos" book of the Catastro. All this proves that breadmaking has been carried on in Cea for centuries.

In the following century, the first guides to Galicia told of the quality of Pan de Cea. The bread continues to this day to be cited in works by renowned intellectuals such as Vicente Risco and Ramón Otero Pedrayo, who stress the importance of the local wheat bread in San Cristovo de Cea. Breadmaking continues to be the main agri-industrial activity in the town, which has more than 20 working bakeries. For several years now, a bread festival has been held in July.

The above is reflected in the prominent position of bread on the coat of arms of San Cristovo de Cea, approved by Government of Galicia Decree No 296/1989 of 28 December 1989.

Production conditions:

A characteristic feature of production are the ovens used for making Pan de Cea, which are particular both in their shape and in the material used in their construction.

The ovens are circular, with a half-orange-shaped or hemispherical vault made of equally sized cut-granite blocks. This shape ensures that the interior of the oven heats uniformly and the fact that the base blocks are all of the same thickness means that the whole batch of bread is cooked evenly.

The granite used in the construction of these ovens is known as granito mosca and all comes from the same quarry, so ensuring constant grain size and porosity and consequently uniform cooking qualities.

In more recently constructed ovens, the vault is of heat-resistant material, but the design still ensures uniform cooking qualities.

4.7. Inspection body Name: Dirección General de Industrias y Promoción Agroalimentaria de la Consellería de Política Agroalimentaria y Desarrollo Rural. Xunta de Galicia

Address: Rúa dos Irmandiños s/n. Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.

4.8. Labelling: After certification, bread marketed under the Pan de Cea Protected Geographical Indication must carry a numbered seal, label or secondary label, approved and issued by the Regulatory Board, bearing a sequential alphanumeric code and the official logo of the geographical indication. The words Indicación Geográfica Protegida "Pan de Cea" must appear on the labels and secondary labels.

4.9. National requirements - Law No 25/1970 of 2 December 1970 laying down rules on vineyards, wine and spirit drinks,

- Decree No 835/1972 of 23 March 1972 laying down detailed implementing rules for Law No 25/1970,

- MAPA Order of 25 January 1994 specifying the correlation between Spanish law and Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 as regards designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs,

- Royal Decree No 1643/1999 of 22 October 1999 on the procedure governing applications for entry in the Community register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications.

EC No: ES/00310/20.8.2003.

Date of receipt of the full application: 9 October 2003.