Publication of a request under Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 to amend one or more parts of the specification of a name registered under Article 17 or Article 6 of that Regulation

(2002/C 275/05)

Publication confers the right to object within the meaning of Article 7 of the Regulation. Any objections to this request must be forwarded via the competent authority of a Member State within six months of the publication date. The amendment is not a minor one and it must therefore be published under Article 6(2) of the Regulation.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OF A SPECIFICATION: ARTICLE 9

1. Registered name: Parmigiano Reggiano

2. Responsible department in the Member State Ministero delle Politiche agricole e forestali Dipartimento della Qualità dei prodotti agroalimentari e dei servizi

Direzione Generale della Qualità dei prodotti agroalimentari e la tutela del consumatore

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

3. Amendment(s) requested - Specification heading:

[square ] name

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description

[square ] geographical area

[square ] proof of origin

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method of production

[square ] link

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labelling

[square ] national requirements

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other

- Amendment(s):

Description:

The mould ranges in height from not less than 20 cm to not more than 26 cm with resulting variations in weight, the minimum being set at 30 kg.

The oiling of the exterior of the mould, a possibility almost never availed of, has now been discontinued as it proved to be a drawback when marketing the product.

Method of production:

The use of raw milk is specified. Heat treatment may not be applied and no additives may be used.

Milking operations, the maximum period for which milking takes place, conservation and the partial skimming of the milk by removal of the cream that rises to the top in open-air tanks, the adding of natural whey inoculum produced by spontaneous acidification of the whey residue from the previous day's processing, the coagulation of the milk, the dripping of the curds and the moulding of the cheese are explained as appropriate in accordance with local, trustworthy and established practice, as traditionally observed.

Labelling:

The origin of the cheese is stencilled on the product and a casein nameplate is attached bearing the words Parmigiano Reggiano together with codes identifying the mould so that the product can be accurately traced.

Selection is marked by the "Consorzio di tutela del Parmigiano Reggiano" using indelible marks for the selection classes following verification by the approved inspection agency.

Other - Rules on feed for cows

A list of prohibited fodder and by-products is specified, reflecting currently available technical knowledge of animal nutrition.

Aspects of the rules on feed that have no impact on the link with the territory have been simplified and the rules themselves have been tightened as regards the use of the "unifeed technique" for administering feed.

4. Date of receipt of the full application: 13 May 2002.