EN Official Journal of the European Union C 372/4

Publication of an amendment 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

(2015/C 372/04)

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).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘HUILE D'OLIVE D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE’

EU No: FR-PDO-0105-01279 — 17.11.2014

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Syndicat AOC Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence (Aix-en-Provence Olive Oil CDO Confederation) Maison des agriculteurs 22 avenue Henri Pontier 13626 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 01 Tel/Fax: +33 442963708 E-mail: huileoliveaix@orange.fr

The Syndicat AOC Huile d'Olive d'Aix-en-Provence is made up of olive producers and processors of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ and it has a legitimate interest in submitting an amendment application.

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Headings in the specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Name of product — ☒ Description of product — ☐ Geographical area — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Method of production — ☐ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ Other: inspection

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☒ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI which cannot be regarded as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 — ☐ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be regarded as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

Description of product

The product description has been further clarified and expanded so as to take better account of the producers' expertise and practices. This more accurate description has led to a distinction being made between ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ and that followed by the words ‘matured olives’. Olive oil made from matured olives was already covered by the initial registration, which was based on a fairly broad description of the product, but was not identified as such. This distinction responds to the requesting group's wish to improve the way in which the product is identified and characterised, and to provide consumers with clear information. This clarification is opportune in the current context of how the olive oil market is developing: consumers have become more knowledgeable about olive oil, and this distinction meets market demand. Before 1950 or thereabouts, the extraction equipment used and the mills' limited production capacity meant that millers, in the course of the season, had to store olives for a few days before they could be pressed. The development, after 1950, of modern presses made it possible to dispense with this preliminary stage of maturing the olives. However, the millers of Aix-en-Provence maintained the custom of allowing the olives used to produce some of their oil to mature for a few days before pressing. Maturing the olives before pressing alters the oil's analytical and sensory characteristics:

— in olive oil made from olives that have not been matured prior to pressing, the maximum free acidity content has been reduced to 0,8 g/100 g, whereas it remains at 1,5 g/100 g for olive oil made from matured olives;

— the oil's aromatic profile has been expressed more clearly:

— olive oil made from olives that have not been matured prior to pressing has a bouquet characterised by fresh grass, raw artichoke and at times notes of vanilla. On the palate, flavours of fresh grass and/or raw artichoke are also present, sometimes complemented by notes of walnuts, fresh hazelnuts and red berries. There may be a peppery aftertaste.

— olive oil made from olives matured prior to pressing has a fairly intense bouquet dominated by aromas reminiscent of toast, black olives and cooked artichokes, sometimes complemented by notes of cocoa or vanilla. On the palate, the dominant flavours are sourdough bread, black olives, cocoa and cooked artichokes.

— the levels of bitterness and spiciness have been defined and added to the specification:

— for olive oil made from olives that have not been matured prior to pressing, the spiciness and bitterness vary from 1 to 5 on the International Olive Council (IOC) organoleptic scale in the first four months after pressing, gradually softening to between 1 and 3 at the end of that period;

— for olive oil made from olives that have been matured prior to pressing, the spiciness and bitterness are below 2 on the IOC organoleptic scale in the first four months after pressing, gradually softening to below 1 at the end of that period.

In addition, in order to maintain quality for the consumer, the peroxide index has been lowered to 15 mEq O2 per kg of oil instead of 20 as was initially the case.

The limit for the K270 index has been deleted as this parameter is closely correlated to acidity and the peroxide index. Deleting it therefore has no impact on the quality and the characteristics of the oil in that the maximum permitted values for acidity and the peroxide index have been stipulated.

The indication of the ‘virgin’ quality of the oil has been deleted, as this characteristic is linked to the acidity content of the oil, and the oil can also be ‘extra virgin’.

Proof of origin

Owing to developments in national legislation and regulations, the text under the heading ‘Evidence that the product originates from the defined geographical area’ has been consolidated to bring together, in particular, provisions on declaration requirements and keeping registers for tracing products and monitoring production conditions.

This section has also been extended to include several provisions on registers and declaration documents, enabling traceability and verification of product compliance with the requirements of the specifications to be guaranteed.

Method of production

— main varieties: an analysis of the olive groves that are currently productive has shown that they already have the required minimum proportion of 80 % of the main varieties. The deadline, originally set at 2019, for reaching the minimum required percentage has therefore been deleted.

— secondary varieties: In order to facilitate checks on the suitability of the varieties, some of the traditional local varieties considered as secondary varieties have been listed: Ribier, Sabine, Saurine, Sigeoise, Triparde. However, this list is not exhaustive and covers the most common varieties.

— pollinator varieties: as the varieties of olives listed are not self-pollinating, the amendment is intended to allow the presence of olive trees from pollinating varieties, provided that they are planted at appropriate distances in the grove in question and do not exceed 5 % of the trees in the grove, in line with current practice. The olives from these trees may be used.

— tree density: the rules on density remain unchanged, but the calculation method has been specified and the minimum distance between trees has been set at 4 metres.

— intercropping: a prohibition on intercropping in groves with PDO status has been introduced in order to avoid competition with the olive trees, especially saplings, so as to ensure the quality of the product. However, in accordance with local customs, fruit trees, which are not considered to affect the product's final quality, may be grown in olive groves provided that they do not represent more than 5 % of the total number of trees on the parcel in question.

— irrigation: a cut-off date for irrigation has been introduced to replace the current provision permitting irrigation ‘until ripening’, which is somewhat vague. The cut-off date has therefore been set at 1 November.

— Yield: the method for calculating yield has been specified such as to rule out all ambiguity. It is specified that yield is calculated in relation to ‘the quantity harvested’, ‘irrespective of the intended use of the olives’, and ‘on average’ across all the parcels identified on the property.

In order to ensure that the olives used are of sufficient quality, the age when the trees start producing has been specified: the trees must have been planted on the parcel for at least five years.

— harvesting: various provisions on harvesting have been introduced to lay down best practices and guarantee the quality of olives harvested:

— arrangements for starting the harvesting season: the start date for the harvest is set by officials from the competent authority (the director of INAO), on a reasoned proposal from the group.

— permitted harvesting techniques: the passage permitting mechanical harvesting procedures has been clarified, without any change to the permitted techniques. The specification sent with the application for registration of a PDO provides that olives must be harvested directly from the tree without the use of abscission agents; the use of nets is permitted. This wording aims, in particular, to prohibit the use of olives that have fallen to the ground naturally (overripe or damaged). Conversely, this wording does not prohibit the use of mechanical harvesting procedures requiring harvesting nets. The proposed amendment does not, therefore, constitute a change in practices, but merely clarifies them;

— change to the storage conditions of olives intended for maturing prior to pressing: in this case, the requirement for slatted crates or box pallets has been deleted. Since these olives undergo a slight anaerobic fermentation prior to pressing, it is not necessary to store them in ventilated containers.

— Health status of the olives used and delivery times: the requirements with regard to the quality of olives used are clarified to explain the concept of ‘healthy’ olives mentioned earlier. The provision has been completed by adding the maximum permissible thresholds of olives with defects in the batches: ‘However, each batch may include a share of damaged (worm-infested, bird-pecked, frost or hail-damaged or browned) olives not exceeding 15 %.’

The maximum time for delivering olives to the mill and storage time between harvesting and pressing stipulated in the specification covered both production techniques (with or without maturation of the olives). In order to ensure the olives are of the right quality for pressing, it is proposed to:

— shorten the time between harvest and delivery to two days, and between harvest and pressing to four days, for olives that are not matured prior to pressing;

— limit the four-day harvest-to-delivery time to olives that are matured prior to pressing, and extend the harvest-to-pressing time of those olives to between four and 10 days.

— maturity of olives used: the specification provided that the olives are harvested when properly ripe. In order to clarify the ripeness expected with regard to the characteristics of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’) and to make it easier to check, it is stated that at the time of pressing, the batches of olives used must include ‘at least 40 % of olives “changing colour” (from clear green to yellow)’.

— oil production: the percentage of the main varieties in the oil is specified: a minimum of 60 % of olives used to produce the oil must be from the main varieties. This amendment has been made so as to ensure the multi-variety character of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ with a preponderance of the main varieties.

In the interests of clear drafting, the producers wanted to list all the different processes and treatments authorised when producing the olive oil. The following have been added: leaf stripping, crushing, kneading, extraction by centrifuge or by pressing.

— storage of the oil: in order to preserve the quality of the products when they are marketed, the following has been added: ‘The oil shall be stored in ideal storage conditions away from light, heat and any significant variation in temperature.’

Labelling

The wording of labels specifically referring to the designation has been brought into line with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012: A provision requiring that the words ‘matured olives’ be added on oils produced by that method has been added. Moreover, the European Union's PDO logo and the words ‘appellation d'origine protégée’ (protected designation of origin) are amongst the references that must be included on labels for products covered by the designation of origin ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’.

Other

In the light of changes to national legislation and rules, the ‘National requirements’ heading now contains a table indicating the main items to be checked, their reference values and the evaluation methods to be used.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘HUILE D'OLIVE D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE’

EU No: FR-PDO-0105-01279 — 17.11.2014

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.5. Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oils, etc.)

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

‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ has a bouquet characterised by fresh grass, raw artichoke and at times notes of vanilla. On the palate, fresh grass and/or raw artichoke are also present, sometimes complemented by notes of walnuts, fresh hazelnuts and red berries. There may be a peppery aftertaste. When the oil is first marketed, its spiciness (also known as ‘pungency’ within the meaning of this single document) and bitterness vary from 1 to 5 on the International Olive Council (IOC) organoleptic scale in the first four months after pressing, gradually softening to between 1 and 3 at the end of that period.

The free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, must not exceed 0,8 g/100 g of oil.

‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ followed by the words ‘matured olives’ has a fairly intense bouquet dominated by aromas reminiscent of toast, black olives and cooked artichokes, sometimes complemented by notes of cocoa or vanilla. On the palate, the dominant flavours are sourdough bread, black olives, cocoa and cooked artichokes. This oil is also characterised by a near-absence of bitterness and pungency. Bitterness and pungency are equal to or below 2 on the IOC organoleptic scale in the first four months after pressing, gradually softening to below 1 at the end of that period. The free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, must not exceed 1,5 g/100 g of oil.

‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’, whether or not followed by the words ‘matured olives’, is a very smooth olive oil.

The peroxide value must be less than or equal to 15 milliequivalents of peroxide oxygen for each kilogramme of olive oil when first marketed.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The olive oil is produced using olives from groves where not less than 80 % of the trees are of the following ‘main’ varieties: Aglandau, Cayanne and Salonenque (two of which must be present); of ‘secondary’ varieties such as Bouteillan, Grossane, Picholine, Verdale-des-Bouches-du-Rhône, ancient local varieties (varieties planted before the frost of 1956 represented by a significant number of trees in the production area) and ‘pollinator’ varieties (not more than 5 %).

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All of the processes, from the production of the olives to their transformation into olive oil, are carried out within the defined geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers

—

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

In addition to the compulsory information provided for by legislation on the labelling and presentation of foodstuffs, protected designation of origin ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ labels must include the following:

— the name of the designation of origin, ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’, followed, where applicable, by the words ‘matured olives’ immediately after the name of the designation in characters of at least half the size of the characters used for the name of the designation, and the words ‘protected designation of origin’.

These details must all be in the same field of vision and on the same label. They must be indicated in conspicuous, clearly legible and indelible characters of a sufficient size to stand out from the label on which they are printed so as to be clearly distinguishable from all other written or graphic information.

— the European Union PDO logo.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of production for ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ is situated within the following municipalities:

Department of Bouches-du-Rhône: — the whole of each of the following municipalities: Alleins, Aubagne, Cabriès, Cuges-les-Pins, Gémenos, Lambesc, Les Pennes-Mirabeau, Rognac, Rognes, Roquefort-la-Bédoule, Saint-Cannat, Saint-Chamas, Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, Vernègues, Vitrolles, — parts of each of the following municipalities: Berre-l'Etang, Grans, Istres, Marseille, Martigues, Miramas, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, Port-de-Bouc, Saint-Estève-Janson, Salon-de-Provence, — the whole of the municipalities of the cantons of Aix-en-Provence Nord-Est, Aix-en-Provence Sud-Ouest, Aix-en-Provence Centre, Allauch, Châteauneuf-Côte-Bleue (except for the municipality of Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, included in part), Gardanne, Roquevaire, Trets, Pélissanne.

Department of the Var: — the whole of the following municipalities: Pourcieux, Pourrières, Saint-Zacharie.

A map delineating the boundaries of the geographical area has been lodged with the municipal authorities of the partly covered municipalities. A map of these municipalities is available on the website of the competent national authority in line with the requirements of the INSPIRE Directive.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

The geographical area of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ has the following characteristics:

Natural factors:

— a geographical unit: southwest lower Provence,

— an area characterised by the Provencal climate of hot, dry summers, with some low night-time temperatures in winter;

— precipitation of the order of 600 to 700 mm per year, often falling as heavy showers, but limited to around 70 days per year;

— large amounts of sunshine, averaging around 2 700 hours per year;

— strong westerly and north-westerly winds, the Mistral and the Tramontane;

— a landform made of hills and calcareous ridges rising to 1 000 metres in altitude;

— often gravelly, draining, chalky soils, with a pH fluctuating between 8,1 and 8,3, with a total limestone content of between 20 and 38 %.

Human factors:

— people have been cultivating olive trees and producing olive oil in this area since time immemorial. The oldest oil mills discovered in the geographical area date back to the fourth century B.C.;

— the varieties selected over the centuries are mainly Aglandau, Salonenque and Cayanne;

— the short, round shape of the olive trees that can be seen in the landscape are a common characteristic of the olive groves in the area around Aix-en-Provence and enable the groves to be managed entirely or partially on foot;

— the olive trees are regularly pruned, at least once every two years;

— the olive picking season traditionally runs from the end of October to the end of December. The olives are harvested when they are changing colour, i.e. before they are fully ripe;

— two techniques for producing olive oil are traditionally used: one based on processing freshly-harvested olives (around 70 % of the volume of oil produced) and the other on processing olives matured for a few days before pressing (around 30 % of the volume of oil produced). Before 1950 or thereabouts, the extraction equipment used and the mills' limited production capacity meant that millers, in the course of the season, had to store olives for a few days before they could be pressed. The development, after 1950, of modern presses made it possible to dispense with this preliminary stage of maturing the olives. However, the millers of Aix-en-Provence maintained the custom of allowing the olives used for some of their product to mature for a few days before pressing, as the product resulting from this practice remained sought after.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The main characteristic of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ is based on the blend of local varieties, mainly Aglandau, Salonenque and Cayanne.

Together with the oil production practices, including or dispensing with maturing of the olives before pressing, this gives ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ the following specific characteristics:

— the oil made from freshly pressed olives is mainly characterised by flavours of fresh grass and raw artichoke. There may be a peppery aftertaste. There is some pungency and bitterness, to varying degrees;

— the olive oil made from ‘matured’ olives is characterised by a fairly intense bouquet dominated by aromas of toast, sourdough bread, black olives and cooked artichokes, sometimes complemented by notes of cocoa or vanilla. Another characteristic is the near-absence of pungency and bitterness.

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)

The predominantly chalky, draining soils on the terraces of the hills and chalky ridges of the geographical area, the generally mild temperatures and sufficient rainfall constitute favourable conditions for the production of quality olives, which has been the basis of the development of olive cultivation in the Aix-en-Provence area over several centuries. The frequent occurrence of strong winds and the large quantities of sunshine also provide healthy conditions by promoting the evaporation of rainwater, and allow olive trees to grow at altitudes of up to 800 m where exposure is favourable. The wind also constrains people to train the trees to grow low and to prune them regularly, which characterises the olive-growing landscape of the area. The area's continental geography gives rise to temperature variations that can cause frosts in winter. Over the centuries, people have selected the most frost-resistant varieties that are best suited to cultivation on foot, such as Aglandau, Salonenque and Cayanne. These three main varieties are varieties of choice for the production of oil. Salonenque and Cayanne offset the stronger flavours of Aglandau at the beginning of the season. The climatic conditions of the area have also led people to harvest the olives from the end of October to the end of December before they are completely ripe, when they are ‘turning’, i.e. changing colour. The specific characteristics of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ — its flavours, but also its moderate-to-near-absent pungency and bitterness — arise from the combination of varieties, the harvesting season and practices of immediate pressing or pressing after maturing the olives. The additional storage of the olives gives rise to a slight anaerobic fermentation, which makes it possible to produce an oil with almost no pungency or bitterness, with a wider spectrum of very complex and very intense scents and flavours. Pressing shortly after harvesting preserves the olives' pungency and bitterness and the greener scents.

The specific characteristics of ‘Huile d'olive d'Aix-en-Provence’ are the reason for its fame. Historical documents show that this oil has always been very popular. According to Abbé Couture, rector of Miramas, in his book Traité de l'olivier (a treatise on the olive tree) (A. David, 1786), this oil is: ‘the most delicate, the most highly regarded, the most perfect, the most sought after, the best sold in the four corners of the earth’.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of the Regulation)

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-862c79a6-7b7b-4b02-9f38-f767a7b81366/telechargement

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