EN Official Journal of the European Union C 125/8

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

2014/C 125/05

This publication confers the right to object to 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)

AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9

‘LIVAROT’

EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01089 – 03.09.2012

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Sections of the specification affected by the amendments

— ☐ Name of product — ☒ Description of product — ☒ Geographical area — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Method of production — ☐ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ National requirements — ☐ Other [to be specified]

2. Type of amendment(s)

— ☐ Amendment to Single Document or Summary Sheet — ☒ Amendment to specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the Single Document nor the Summary has been published — ☐ Amendment to specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006) — ☐ Temporary amendment to specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

3. Amendment(s)

The purpose of the following amendments is to strengthen the characteristics and quality of the product related to its geographical origin and to protect the reputation of the PDO ‘Livarot’.

— See point 2 of the specification: Description of product

The description includes certain specific technical data used to describe ‘Livarot’:

— the dry matter content of the cheese ranges between 44 % and 52 %,

— the reference sizes of Livarot have changed: ‘quart Livarot’ has been discontinued and ‘grand Livarot’ has been added,

— the cheese is now sold in the following formats: ‘grand Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 190 and 210 mm and a net weight ranging between 1 200 and 1 500 g as indicated on the package, the 4/4, or ‘Livarot’, has a diameter ranging between 120 mm and 128 mm and a net weight ranging between 450 and 500 g as indicated on the package, the ‘3/4 Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 107 and 115 mm and a net weight ranging between 330 and 350 g as indicated on the package, ‘petit Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 80 and 94 mm and a net weight ranging between 200 and 270 g as indicated on the package.

It is noted that the cheese size descriptions refer to the selling formats.

The organoleptic characteristics of ‘Livarot’ have been added.

— See point 3 of the specification: Geographical area

The amended geographical area of ‘Livarot’ includes 173 additional municipalities and one municipality less compared to the original area, which consisted of 118 municipalities. The extension aims in particular at including the northern part of the Pays d’Auge so that the geographical area of the PDO overlaps with this natural region.

The northern part of the Pays d’Auge has the same environmental conditions as the southern parts: the same geology (clay formations), the same pedology (high proportion of clay in the soil), similar landscapes where marshes or hilly plateaux predominate and a dense and extensive hydrographic network. These characteristics are crucial for the grass production that is at the heart of the link between Livarot and its locality.

In addition to these stable regional variables (geology, pedology, landscape, hydrography), traditions such as maintaining grassland (PG/UAA > 50 %), farming practices (raising Normande cattle) or the existence nowadays of milk collection zones are similar in both the southern and northern parts of the Pays d’Auge.

This extension is included in the review of the specification which strengthens the link with the locality by introducing the obligation to use the Normande breed and to feed the cattle predominantly through grazing to produce the milk. Indeed, the whole of the Pays d’Auge is characterised by large areas of grassland and a large proportion of dairy cows of the Normande breed.

The cheese-making expertise used to make ‘Livarot’ is based on cheese-processing methods for soft cheese that are particularly ubiquitous throughout the Pays d’Auge.

The microflora referred to in the specification that served as a basis for the registration of the PDO is common to the Pays d’Auge as a whole, in other words, the geographical area of Livarot as it is described in this amendment application. Furthermore, tastings of products made in the conditions subject to this amendment application revealed absolutely no differences attributable to the cheese having been produced in different parts of the geographical area.

This natural region complies perfectly therefore with the new production conditions set out in the specification.

— See point 4 of the specification: Proof of origin

— Prior to starting any production activity, each producer must fill in an identification declaration. This includes a commitment declaration setting out the procedures allowing milk producers whose herds do not yet consist solely of cows of the Normande breed until 2017 to comply with the requirements.

In addition to the obligatory materials accounting, specific data are required:

— from the farmers in order to check the grazing and feeding conditions added to the specification,

— from the cheese dairies in order to check the milk collection and processing conditions laid down in the specification,

— from the farm producers in order to check the quantities and sizes of cheese produced per day.

— The method for organising organoleptic tests is also specified.

— See point 5 of the specification: Method of production

The specification details a number of points in order to better describe the traditional milk production and cheese processing conditions that contribute to the reputation of ‘Livarot’:

The milk production conditions:

As of 1 May 2017, ‘Livarot’ will be made from milk produced on farms where the milk herd consists exclusively of Normande cows. The time allowed for the implementation of this provision is related to the history of ‘Livarot’: in 1975 when the cheese achieved recognition in the form of the protected designation of origin ‘Livarot’, the group did not consider it necessary to stipulate the use of the Normande breed in the national legislation, because that breed was used by all stock farmers and was not in danger of being replaced by other breeds. Over time, however, the Prim’Holstein breed has been introduced and became more widespread. The group has since become increasingly aware of the importance of the Normande breed for Livarot’s typical features and image. In order to stop this worrisome trend, and to re-establish the conditions that existed when the product earned its reputation and thus strengthen the link between the product and its locality, the group decided to provide a framework for the milk production method by requiring that cows of the Normande breed be used to make ‘Livarot’ cheese. However, those farmers who have changed breeds since the recognition of the designation in 1975 will require an adaptation period in order to implement this positive measure. For this reason, and until 30 April 2017, at least 80 % of the milk used every month to produce ‘Livarot’ cheese must come from Normande cows.

The herd must graze for at least six months a year and have at its disposal at least 0.33 ha of grassland for each dairy cow being milked, at least 0.25 ha of which is pasturable and located near the milking parlour.

These area requirements ensure that the dairy cows’ ration contains a large share of grass, in keeping with the Pays d’Auge’s pasture farming traditions. This guarantees a close link between the locality and the product through feed that is particular to the geographical area.

In order to ensure a link to the geographical area, at least 80 % of the dry matter in the basic ration of the herd (fodder) must come from parcels of the farm located in the geographical area. There are rules on the amounts (1 800 kg per cow and per calendar year) and quality of the complementary feedstuffs. The specification includes a list of the authorised fodder and complementary feedstuffs.

The time limits for processing the milk are laid down (the milk must come from the last four milkings at the most and not be stocked for longer than 48 hours).

The technical conditions related to the standardisation of the fat content, maturation and heat treatment of the milk are specified. The milk may not be concentrated by partially removing the water in it before coagulation. A list is provided of the ingredients or processing aids or additives authorised in the milk.

The cheese production conditions:

It is specified that ‘Livarot’ is produced from milk matured and renneted in a vat with a maximum capacity of 320 litres (as of 1 May 2014).

Milk intended for the production of Livarot is traditionally renneted in a vat with a capacity of about 300 litres. The occasional, infrequent use of larger recipients led the group to introduce a provision limiting the volume of the recipients.

The reason for setting a maximum volume for the vats used is to allow the curd to be moulded in a single operation. As a result, all the cheese from the same vat will have the same acidity and drainage characteristics. This is not the case with larger vats, where stirring and moulding inevitably take longer (many dozens of minutes in large vats of over one thousands litres, as opposed to a few seconds in a smaller vat). When larger recipients are used the qualities of the cheeses are necessarily different at the beginning and at the end of the moulding process, because the curd continues to develop and become more acidic in the in the vat during the moulding process. Once moulded, the cheeses from more extensively drained curd have a drier and less tasty paste.

The timing and technical conditions for cutting, stirring, moulding, draining and salting the curd are described. It is prohibited to conserve the dairy raw materials, partially finished products, curd or fresh cheese at a temperature below 0 °C.

In order to strengthen ‘Livarot’s’ reputation among consumers as a traditionally made local product, the group wanted to ban the use of lysozyme hydrochloride. This substance is used as an additive to hydrolyse certain bonds in the external membranes of bacterial species, in particular butyric spores, which are considered particularly undesirable in cheese-making, as they cause cheese to swell, among other disadvantages. However, one manufacturer would like to continue to use lysozyme hydrochloride until 2015 in order to give milk producers in whose milk there might be butyric spores the time to finish improving their silage practices. Indeed, the presence of butyric spores in milk may be linked to their presence in the silage used to feed the dairy cows.

The ripening and binding of the cheese:

The closely related activities of ripening, washing and binding the cheeses are laid down.

The cheese is ripened in a ripening room at a temperature varying between 10 and 14 °C and, if necessary, this is followed by post-ripening at a temperature ranging from 6 °C to 9 °C.

The technical conditions related to the ripening of ‘Livarot’ are specified: during the ripening period in the ripening room, the cheeses are washed at least three times and may also be brushed. Cultures or ‘rocou’ may be added to the washing solution. The washing solution is composed of salt water to which cultures and/or rocou may be added at a concentration lower than 2 %.

The minimum ripening period of ‘Livarot’ and ‘grand Livarot’ has been increased by 21 days to 35 days to take into account the practices of the cheese maturers, who have gradually lengthened this period to 35 days, unrestricted by the specification, so that the larger the cheeses are, the longer the ripening period. In order to perpetuate this practice, which has a positive influence on the cheeses’ taste, the group wished to lay down this minimum ripening period for ‘Livarot’ and ‘grand Livarot’ in the specification.

The requirement to wrap strips around all sizes of ‘Livarot’ cheese is included in the chapter ‘Description of product’ and reiterated in the chapter ‘Evidence of the link with the geographical origin’. This binding practice, which dates back to the 19th century and is as old as Livarot, was already referred to in the specification that served as the basis for the registration of the PDO. The binding of the cheese is very important for the visual identity of ‘Livarot’, and it is also behind the appellation ‘colonel’ by which it is popularly known, because the overlapping strips resemble the braids sewn on the uniforms of members of the French military to denote that rank. In order to preserve this key element of the cheese’s identity, the group wished to include the requirement to bind all sizes of ‘Livarot’ in the specification.

The material of the strips are made is no longer specified, so operators may use new materials if they so wish, except for the 4/4 ‘Livarot’, for which the strips must be made of vegetable fibre as of 1 May 2017. Indeed, while the nature of the binding material only marginally affects the visual identity of the cheese, the 4/4 size, as the most representative of all ‘Livarot’ cheeses, is accordingly the most concerned by this tradition, which is already practised by certain operators. A certain period of time is needed to implement the provision so that all operators can introduce the procedures necessary for binding the cheese with vegetable-fibre strips (such as securing a supplier of such strips).

— See point 8 of the specification: Specific labelling details

The particulars that are compulsory on the labelling have been set out. The obligation to use the INAO logo has been waived. Labels must bear the European Union ‘AOP’ [PDO] logo.

— See point 9 of the specification: National requirements

Addition of a table on the main points to be verified and removal of the reference to the technical implementing rules.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

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

‘LIVAROT’

EC No: FR-PDO-0217-01089 – 03.09.2012

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name

‘Livarot’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

‘Livarot’ is a cylindrical cheese made exclusively from renneted cow’s milk; it has a soft, slightly salty paste, a washed rind that is reddish in colour, and is ripened and bound with three to five strips. As of 1 May 2017, the 4/4 reference size, or ‘Livarot’, will be systematically wrapped in strips of vegetable fibre.

‘Livarot’ contains a minimum of 40 grams of fat per 100 grams of cheese when completely dry and a dry-extract content ranging between 44 % and 52 %.

‘Livarot’ may be sold in the sizes petit, 3/4, 4/4 or grand. ‘grand Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 190 and 210 mm and a net weight ranging between 1 200 and 1 500 g as indicated on the package, the 4/4, or ‘Livarot’, has a diameter ranging between 120 mm and 128 mm and a net weight ranging between 450 and 500 g as indicated on the package, ‘3/4 Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 107 and 115 mm and a net weight ranging between 330 and 350 g as indicated on the package, and the ‘petit Livarot’ has a diameter ranging between 80 and 94 mm and a net weight ranging between 200 and 270 g as indicated on the package.

The total ripening period, calculated from the renneting date, is a minimum of 21 days for the ‘3/4 Livarot’ and ‘petit Livarot’ sizes, and a minimum of 35 days for the ‘Livarot’ and ‘grand Livarot’ sizes.

Its washed, slightly sticky rind varies from straw yellow to reddish in colour. Its supple, dark yellow paste has a light scattering of small holes. ‘Livarot’ is a cheese characterised by the strong, lingering nature of its aromas. Its slightly salty and runny paste has a pronounced taste that brings to mind the floral taste of straw and hay and farmyard and, smoky flavours.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

As of 1 May 2017, the herd of each farm must consist exclusively of dairy cows of the Normande breed. Until 30 April 2017, at least 80 % of the milk used every month to produce ‘Livarot’ must come from cows of the Normande breed.

In addition to the raw dairy materials, the only ingredients, production aids or additives authorised in the milk and during its production are rennet, innocuous bacterial cultures, yeasts, moulds, salt and calcium chloride.

The use of lysozyme hydrochloride is authorised until 31 December 2014 solely during the period between 15 October and 15 April.

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

To ensure that there is a close link between the locality and the product through the use of feed which is particular to the geographical area, the dairy cows must graze for at least six months of the year. The farm must have a minimum area under grass of 0.33 ha for each dairy cow being milked, of which a minimum of 0.25 ha is pasturable and accessible from the milking rooms.

At least 80 %, expressed as dry matter, of the fodder-based basic ration of the herd must come from parcels of the farm located in the geographical area. The amount of complementary feed provided is restricted to 1 800 kg per cow in the herd per calendar year.

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

The milk is produced and the cheese is manufactured, matured and wrapped in strips within the geographical area defined in point 4.

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

—

3.7. Specific rules on labelling

Without prejudice to the terms laid down by regulations, each ‘Livarot’ PDO cheese is sold with an individual label bearing the name of the designation of origin and the words ‘Appellation d’Origine Protégée’ or ‘AOP’.

Labels must bear the ‘AOP’ [PDO] logo of the European Union.

The descriptions petit, 3/4 and grand may be used on the label of the cheeses in accordance with the conditions laid down in point 3.2 Description of product

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area extends to the territory of the cantons and parts of cantons of the following departments:

The department of Calvados (14)

All of the cantons of Blangy le Château, Cambremer, Dozulé, Honfleur, Lisieux 1, Lisieux 2, Lisieux 3, Livarot, Orbec, Pont L’Evêque, Trouville, in the canton of Bourguebus: the municipality of Airan, the canton of Mézidon-Canon with the exception of the municipalities of Bissières and Percy-en-Auge, in the canton of Morteaux-Coulibeuf: Barou en Auge, Les Moutiers en Auge and Norey en Auge, the canton of St-Pierre sur Dives with the exception of the municipality of St-Pierre sur Dives, in the canton of Troarn: the municipalities of Argences, Canteloup, Cléville, Janville, St Ouen du Mesnil Oger, St Pair, St Pierre du Jonquet and Troarn, in the canton of Cabourg: the municipalities of Amfreville, Bavent, Breville les Monts, Cabourg, Gonneville en Auge, Merville-Franceville, Petiville, Sallenelles and Varaville.

The department of Orne (61)

All of the canton of Vimoutiers, in the canton of Exmes: the municipalities of Ginai, Avernes sous Exmes, Courménil, Exmes, Omméel, Survie and St Pierre la Rivière, the canton of Gacé with the exception of the municipality of Trinité-des-Laitiers, in the canton of Merlerault: the municipalities of Champ Haut, Lignères, Menil Froger and Le Menil Vicomte, in the canton of Trun: the municipalities of Coudehard, Mont Ormel, Montreuil la Cambe, St Gervais des Sablons, Chambois, Ecorches and Neauphe sur Dives.

The department of l’Eure (27)

In the canton of Beuzeville: the municipalities of Fatouville Grestain, Fiquefleur Equainville, La Lande St-Léger, Manneville la Raoult and St Pierre du Val, in the canton of Thiberville: the municipalities of La Chapelle Hareng, Fontaine la Louvet , Piencourt, Les Places and St-Germain la Campagne.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Situated between the Channel in the north and the Perche hills in the south, the natural region of the Pays d’Auge is a plateau of average altitude (120 to 250 m) criss-crossed by a great number of streams that have shaped the relief and created many landscape features: wide valleys, plateaux separated from each other by deep gullies as well as small valleys with steep slopes.

The region is characterised by the predominance of clay soils, a highly oceanic climate with regular rainfall throughout the year and small differences in temperature between the different seasons.

Livarot cheese is mentioned in writing for the first time in the 17th century. In the second half of the 19th century this cheese became very popular as it spread from one city to the next via the railway network.

The geographical area has been the site of all of the following:

— a specific milk production process that relies traditionally and to a very large extent on the Normande breed and also on the feeding conditions, characterised by the predominant share of grass in the livestock ration and the fact that the livestock consume the grass by grazing over a very long period of time.

— a dynamic method of making soft cheese using particular local expertise. The milk is systematically skimmed and ripened. The curd is cut into average sized pieces then stirred. During the maturing in the ripening rooms, the cheeses are washed regularly, which enables an orangey rind to form. The binding of the cheese is inseparably linked to the traditional identity of ‘Livarot’ in consumers’ eyes and it also maintains the cheese’s moulded shape. The binding, which takes place during the ripening phase, consists of wrapping strips around ‘Livarot’ three to five times.

5.2. Specificity of the product

‘Livarot’ has a washed, slightly sticky rind that varies from straw yellow to reddish in colour. Its supple, dark yellow paste has a light scattering of small holes. ‘Livarot’ is a cheese characterised by the strong, lingering nature of its aromas. Its slightly salty and runny paste has a pronounced taste that brings to mind the floral taste of straw and hay and farmyard and, smoky flavours. ‘Livarot’ can be recognised by the strips wrapped around it three to five times that are inseparably linked to its identity.

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)

‘Livarot’ is linked to the Pays d’Auge by a series of both human and natural factors. The climate, relief, hydrographic network and soils of the Pays d’Auge provide ideal conditions for grassland. Local farmers have developed a stock breeding system that makes the most of this crop through long grazing periods rendered possible by the mild temperatures and regular rainfall. Furthermore, they have selected a breed, the Normande, that is well adapted to grassland and whose milk has physico-chemical characteristics, in particular coagulation properties, that make it exceptionally well suited to cheese-making.

The Pays d’Auge is also a cheese-making region where the expertise related to the production of soft cheese with washed rinds has been passed on from generation to generation down to the present day. This expertise, particularly with regard to the ripening and washing as well as the binding of ‘Livarot’ with strips, contributes to these specific characteristics that give ‘Livarot’ its inimitable taste.

Reference to publication of the specification

[Article 5, paragraph 7, of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4)]

https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCLivarot.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.