Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin

(2002/C 309/02)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of the abovementioned Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent authority in the Member State concerned 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 (x) PGI ( )

National application No: 11/2000

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. Applicant group 2.1. Name: Associazione Interprovinciale tra Produttori Olivicoli di Teramo e di L'Aquila - A.I.Pr. Ol.

2.2. Address: Circonvallazione Ragusa, 31, I-64100 Teramo

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

3. Type of product: Class 1.5 - Fats - Extra virgin olive oil.

4. Specification

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane

4.2. Description: Extra virgin olive oil with the following characteristics:

- colour: greenish yellow,

- aroma: fruity, medium intensity,

- flavour: fruity, slightly bitter and spicy,

- panel test: > 6,5,

- total acidity, expressed as oleic acid by weight, not exceeding 0,5 g per 100 g of oil,

- peroxide value: < 12 Meq O2/kg,

- K232: < 2,00,

- K270: < 0,20,

- polyphenols: > 120 mmg/kg,

- oleic acid: > 70 %.

4.3. Geographical area: The area in which the olives used to produce Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane extra virgin olive oil are grown and processed is located in the hills stretching from north to south across the whole of the province of Teramo in the Region of Abruzzi, extending from close to the sea inwards to the hinterland for a distance of 25 km to 30 km. The region comprises the whole of the municipalities of Ancarano, Atri, Basciano, Bellante, Bisenti, Canzano, Castellalto, Castiglione Messer Raimondo, Castilenti, Cellino Attanasio, Cermignano, Colonnella, Controguerra, Corropoli, Montefino, Morro D'Oro, Mosciano Sant'Angelo, Nereto, Notaresco, Penna Sant'Andrea, Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata, Sant'Omero, Torano Nuovo, along with part of the municipalities of Alba Adriatica, Arsita, Campli, Castel Castagna, Civitella del Tronto, Colledara, Giulianova, Isola del Gran Sasso, Martinsicuro, Montorio al Vomano, Pineto, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Silvi, Teramo, Torricella Sicura, Tortoreto and Tossicia.

4.4. Proof of origin: The olive tree has been widespread in the province of Teramo since at least as far back as the tenth century BC. The Romans (in the third century BC) were responsible for intensifying and expanding its cultivation. Periods of decline have alternated with periods of expansion, reflecting specific historic events.

Evidence for these ups and downs is provided by Pancrazio Palma (1781 to 1850) in his "Complete works" - Teramo 1912 - in which he writes: "For centuries we have been supplying the Roman State with oil and now we are providing olive saplings, while the authorities there, since February 1836, have all but banned imports of oil and have been earnestly promoting the planting of Minerva trees, granting an allowance for each newly planted sapling".

The Napoleonic land register of 1809 contains details of the amount and distribution of olive oil in the province of Teramo; a comparison with the current one (1990) does not show any substantial difference despite the lengthy period that has elapsed meanwhile.

Arturo Provenzale writing in the "Guide to winegrowing and olive cultivation" - Teramo 1907 - says: "Sincere admiration was aroused by the fact that at the Vienna International Exhibition of 1873, among the hundreds and hundreds of products from all corners of Italy, Abruzzi olive oil carried off four first prizes, ... the prizewinners being producers in Loreto, Montepagano, Giulianova and Teramo".

Production, processing and bottling take place within the defined geographical area. The reason why the product is also bottled in the defined area is the need to safeguard the specific characteristics and quality of Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane oil, providing assurances that the inspection by the independent control authorities takes place under the supervision of the producers. The Protected Designation of Origin is highly important for the producers and offers them, in accordance with the objectives of the Regulation, an opportunity to supplement their income. In addition, bottling has traditionally taken place in the defined geographical area.

Producers intending to market extra virgin oil using the designation must, in order to ensure its traceability, see to it that their olive groves, and processing and bottling plants are included in appropriate registers kept and updated by the control authorities.

4.5. Method of production: "Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane" extra virgin olive oil is obtained from olives of the Leccino, Frantoio and Dritta varieties in blends of up to 75 % with the remaining 25 % consisting of other local varieties, including primarily the Tortiglione, Carboncella and Castiglionese varieties.

The spacing of the trees in approved olive groves must be 6 m × 6 m, 6 m × 7 m and 7 m × 7 m, with the trees being trained to provide a low canopy (low-level, single cone-shaped or Y-shaped fan-trained branching).

Spacing at closer intervals is permitted provided the production limits set below are observed. Olive trees may also be cultivated in association with other crops in the traditional way where the spacing is 20 m to 30 m × 10 m and the canopy is trained to be high (simple or multiple cone-shaped branching).

The olives must be picked by hand or mechanically in the period between the start of the change of colour and 10 December.

The maximum output of olives, for use in the production of extra virgin olive oil, may not exceed 6500 kg/ha in groves devoted solely to olive growing; the output from trees grown in association with other crops may not exceed 50 kg per tree.

The maximum oil yield may not exceed 20 %.

Inspection for parasites takes place in accordance with the arrangements for "integrated and/or organic control".

The olives must be transported in slotted boxes or bins. They must be kept until pressed within two days of harvesting in rigid and properly ventilated containers in cool, well aired premises.

During the oil-production process the period of time and the temperature of pressing, set at 30 minutes and 27 °C respectively, must be observed. This temperature must not be exceeded, including by water used to dissolve impurities.

4.6. Link: Olive-growing in this area has the distinct goals of safeguarding the landscape and protecting the soil and the environment. The region has two geographical components enclosed within a small space: to the east the Adriatic Sea and to the west the Gran Sasso d'Italia; these factors have a particular impact on the climate giving a wide range of temperatures at different times of the year. The physical geography (orography) is fairly pronounced with a series of peaks separating the hills by water courses running down to the sea virtually in parallel. The characteristics of the soil and climate have an unmistakable impact on the protected designation of origin "Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane".

The region designated as the production area is defined in Latin literary sources as "ager Pretutianus". It was inhabited by the Pretuzi, an Italic people who according to history carried on the Paleo-Sabellian line and at an early date, around the beginning of the third century BC, came under Roman rule but nevertheless succeeded in retaining their individual cultural identity. As part of the Romanisation process, an area was mapped out which, in the opinion of M.P. Guidobaldi, during the Augustan period was that known as the "praefectura iure dicundo" (municipal area) whose centre was "Interamnia Pretuttiorum", the present-day Teramo.

From as far back at least as the third century BC up to the present time the term "pretuziano" has unquestionably been used therefore to describe the area whose people can be traced back to the Province of Teramo. The term has been applied to the region's renowned products, for example its wines referred to on several occasions by Pliny in his "Naturalis historia".

Similarly, Pretuziano oil was transported by Teramo herdsmen for their own use on their long travels from and through Tyrrenian Sea, along the salt route or "Via Salaria", as Cato mentions in "De rustica".

4.7. Inspection body Name: Camera di Commercio, Industria, Artigianato ed Agricoltura di Teramo

Address: Via Savini, I-64100 Teramo.

4.8. Labelling: The extra virgin olive oil must be sold in containers or bottles with a capacity of not more than 5 l.

The labelling must show in clear and indelible characters, in addition to the information required under the applicable rules, the protected designation of origin "Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane".

4.9. National requirements: -

EC No: IT/00174/2000.11.20.

Date of receipt of the full application: 18 July 2002.