EN Official Journal of the European Union C 159/22

Application for approval of a minor amendment in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2018/C 159/06)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1)

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF A MINOR AMENDMENT

Application for approval of a minor amendment in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2)

‘CORDERO DE NAVARRA’/‘NAFARROAKO ARKUMEA’

EU No: PGI-ES-0212-AM01 — 8.9.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) TSG ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Name: Consejo Regulador de la Indicación Geográfica Protegida Cordero de Navarra o Nafarroako Arkumea Address: Avenida Serapio Huici, 22 Edificio Peritos 31610 Villava NAVARRA ESPAÑA Tel. +34 948013040 Fax +34 948013041 Email address: info@intiasa.es

The applicant group represents the collective interests of the producers of ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’. It holds a legitimate interest in this application for an amendment to the product specification and is also the same group that originally applied for PGI status for ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’.

The Governing Board for the PGI ‘Cordero de Navarra’ is an association comprising producers who work with ‘Cordero de Navarra’. The Board’s aims include enhancing the product’s value and improving the performance of the PGI scheme, in accordance with Article 45 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

Under the applicable national legislation, the Board is entrusted with the task of promoting the quality of ‘Cordero de Navarra’ and overseeing and defending the product’s reputation. These aspects are reflected in the Board’s rules of procedure, which form part of the Regulations governing the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’ and its Governing Board, which were passed by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Order APA/1413/2002 of 23 May 2002.

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☒ Description of product — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Method of production — ☐ Link — ☐ Labelling — ☒ Other [inspection body and binding national law]

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, that requires no amendment to the published single document — ☒ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, that requires an amendment to the published single document. — ☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, for which a single document (or equivalent) has not been published. — ☐ Amendment to product specification of registered TSG to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

The minor amendment described in this proposal corrects errors and updates certain references to circumstances which have changed since the initial approval of the product specification. Changes have been made to the following sections of the specification:

— B) Description of product — the references to carcass classification have been updated to reflect the legislation currently in force; this update does not entail any change to the description of the certified product.

— D) Proof of origin — the reference to an inspection body that no longer exists has been removed; the reference to the inspection body can be found in Section G.

— E) Method of production — an error has been removed from the rules on the composition of the feed used to fatten light lambs, and the reference to the Spanish national standard 45011 has been updated with a reference to ISO/IEC 17065.

— G) Inspection body — the reference to the inspection body has been adjusted to reflect a name change.

— I) Binding national law — this section has been updated to reflect the legislation currently in force in Spain.

— Other— the reference to the now-repealed Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 has been removed from the cover page.

In view of the foregoing, and based on the grounds detailed in this application, we consider that the amendments to the product specification for PGI ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’ described in this application for approval of a minor amendment should be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 because:

— The amendment to section B) (Description of product) does not affect the product’s essential characteristics. It is merely an updating of the text to refer to the EU legislation that is currently in force.

— The link, as described in section F) of the product specification, remains unchanged.

— There is no change to the name or any part of the name of the product.

— The defined geographical area described in section C) (Geographical area) is unaffected.

— There is no increase in restrictions on trade in the product or its raw materials.

5. Amendment(s)

Amendment 1: description and reasons

Section B: Description of product

In implementation of EU legislation, the Spanish legislation on sheep carcass quality cited in the product specification (Order of 18 September 1975 as amended by Order of 24 September 1987) was expressly repealed by Ministerial Order ARM/2279/2010 of 20 August 2010. The references to the previous legislation have therefore been deleted.

The text has been updated to refer to the EU’s classification scale for lamb carcasses weighing less than 13 kilograms, based on the legal framework in force as at 20 April 2017. This revision does not entail any change to the description of the product characteristics because lamb carcasses continue to be classified using the model previously in place as described in the product specification.

Current text:

B. Description of product

a) Milk-fed lambs:

Lambs from the Extra and Primera milk-fed lamb categories under the Quality Standard for Sheep Carcasses (Order of 18 September 1975 as amended by Order of 24 September 1987). The ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘A’ or ‘B’ of the Community scale for the classification of carcases of light lambs (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93) is also applicable for carcasses that originated as live Navarra and Lacho lambs.

Male or female lambs of the Lacho or Navarra breeds, suckled by the ewe up to the time of slaughter, with a carcass weight — including the head and offal — of 5-8 kg (Lacho breed) or 6-8 kg (Navarra breed), and aged no more than 45 days.

Slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of light lambs established in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93).

Pearly white to pale pink meat.

Meat that is tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

b) Light lambs

Lambs from the Extra and Primera light lamb categories under the Quality Standard for Sheep Carcasses (Order of 18 September 1975 as amended by Order of 24 September 1987). The ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘B’ or ‘C’ of the Community scale for the classification of carcases of light lambs (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93) is also applicable for carcasses that originated as live Navarra lambs.

Male or female lambs of the Navarra breed, suckled by the ewe for at least 45 days from birth. During the fattening stage, the lambs are fed white straw, cereal-based concentrates, legumes, vitamins and minerals. If the lamb has not been weaned at 45 days, the foregoing substances are supplemented with its mother’s milk during the fattening stage. Light lambs have a carcass weight — not including the head or offal — of 9-12 kg and are aged no more than 110 days.

Slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of light lambs established in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 and Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93).

Pale pink meat.

The meat is slightly marbled with intramuscular fat, tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

Amended text:

a) Milk-fed lambs:

Carcasses from the ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘A’ or ‘B’ of the ‘Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight’ (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182) that originated as live Navarra and Lacho lambs.

Male or female lambs of the Lacho or Navarra breeds, suckled by the ewe up to the time of slaughter, with a carcass weight — including the head and offal — of 5-8 kg (Lacho breed) or 6-8 kg (Navarra breed), and aged no more than 45 days.

Slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the ‘Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight’ laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182).

Pale pink meat.

Meat that is tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

b) Light lambs

Carcasses from the ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘B’ or ‘C’ of the ‘Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight’ (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182) that originated as live Navarra lambs.

Male or female lambs of the Navarra breed, suckled by the ewe for at least 45 days from birth. During the fattening stage, the lambs are fed white straw, cereal-based concentrates, legumes, vitamins and minerals. If the lamb has not been weaned at 45 days, the foregoing substances are supplemented with its mother’s milk during the fattening stage. Light lambs have a carcass weight — not including the head or offal — of 9-12 kg and are aged no more than 110 days.

Slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the ‘Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight’ laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182).

Pale pink meat.

The meat is slightly marbled with intramuscular fat, tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

Amendment 2: description and reasons

Section D: Proof that the product originated in the area

We propose that the reference to the inspection body (which no longer exists) be removed from the first paragraph of this section. This means that only reference to the inspection body is found in section G (Inspection body), thus avoiding duplication.

Current text:

D. Proof that the product originated in the area

The Instituto de Calidad Agroalimentaria de Navarra (ICAN) is the inspection body for this Protected Geographical Indication.

It is responsible for managing the product certification system and therefore for conducting inspections to verify two aspects: firstly that the product is produced and processed or prepared within the specified geographical area, and secondly that the product’s characteristics meet the description laid down in the product specification.

Amended text:

The inspection body for this PGI is responsible for managing the product certification system and therefore for conducting inspections to verify two aspects: firstly that the product is produced and processed or prepared within the specified geographical area, and secondly that the product’s characteristics meet the description laid down in the product specification.

Amendment 3: description and reasons

Section E Method of production

b) Growth and fattening stage:

The second paragraph of this sub-section has been changed to make it easier to understand. The use of legally permitted products of plant origin other than those originating from cereals and legumes was not permitted under the original text due to an error, which has now been corrected.

The product specification for this PGI was drawn up between 2002 and 2006, when the use of by-products in feed was subject to debate as a result of the BSE crisis. The EU therefore put a number of preventive measures in place, including a ban on feeding ruminants meat meal, blood meal or gelatine (among other substances).

Since the product specification was drafted at that time, and the intention was to ban animal by-products, our prudence led us to commit the error described above.

The subject of feed has since been developed, regulated and implemented in EU law. There are now set rules on feed for the purpose of protecting human and animal health, including a list of permitted and banned raw materials, accepted treatments, conditions of use and upper limits for undesirable substances.

General provision 11 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 68/2013 of 16 January 2013, establishing the Catalogue of Feed Materials, states that ‘the word ‘product’ is used instead of the word ‘by-product’ to reflect the market situation and the language used in practice by […] operators’. It therefore is no longer necessary for us to continue using the term ‘by-product’ in the product specification.

As the use of vitamins and minerals in fattening feedstuffs is covered at the beginning of the section that we propose to amend, this change to state that the use of products of animal origin (categories 9 and 10 of the Catalogue of Feed Materials) in feed composition is banned is in keeping with the spirit in which the specification was drafted.

The use of raw materials of plant origin — including those covered by categories 2 (Oil seeds, oil fruits, and products derived thereof), 4 (Tubers, roots, and products derived thereof), 5 (Other seeds and fruits, and products derived thereof) — is commonplace in ruminant feedstuffs. Their inclusion in the feedstuffs used to fatten lambs is necessary both from a nutritional perspective and in the interests of ensuring the quality of the end product.

In order to rear healthy lambs and produce high-quality meat, the feed administered to the animals must provide a balanced dose of all the nutrients they need, avoiding any surpluses or deficiencies of nutritional compounds.

The use of proteins from oil seeds — such as sunflower meal, rapeseed meal, etc. — is necessary to ensure that there is enough protein in the feed used to fatten lambs.

The required amount of protein might not be achieved with cereals and legumes alone. Even using large amounts of legumes and supplementing them with protein crops such as broad beans does not always give the protein level needed. Moreover, protein provided in this way is highly degradable and its amino acid profile is not particularly suitable.

Feed containing a large amount of highly degradable protein can lead to high circulating blood ammonia, which sometimes causes lambs to develop liver disorders.

The diet administered at the fattening stage should therefore be based on products of plant origin with a balanced nutritional composition, following the recommendations and limits established in the feed formulations listed in the feed tables periodically published by authoritative bodies such as:

— National Research Council (NRC), Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (USA);

— Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) (France);

— Fundación Española para el Desarrollo de la Nutrición Animal (FEDNA) (Spain).

To ensure the use of safe and fit-for-purpose feedstuffs, FEDNA’s feed ingredients table gives a description of each product used to make feed, usage recommendations, nutritional values and, where applicable, maximum limits by species. As an example, the entries for the different oil seed crops are as follows:

— Sunflower meal, 36 % crude protein

— Linseed meal

— Cottonseed meal, 38 % crude protein

A number of publications endorse the use of raw materials other than cereals and legumes as a way of providing the necessary nutrients at the fattening stage while maintaining the quality of the resulting carcasses:

— O. Urrutia, J.A. Mendizabal, K. Insausti, B. Soret, A. Purroy, A. Arana, ‘Effect of linseed dietary supplementation on adipose tissue development, fatty acid composition, and lipogenic gene expression in lambs’, in Livestock Science, Volume 178, 2015, pages 345-356.

— O. Urrutia, B. Soret, K. Insausti, J.A. Mendizabal, A. Purroy, A. Arana, ‘The effects of linseed or chia seed dietary supplementation on adipose tissue development, fatty acid composition, and lipogenic gene expression in lambs’, in Small Ruminant Research, Volume 123, 2015, pages 204-211.

— Juan Ignacio Gutiérrez Cabanillas, ‘Efecto de la adición de subproductos derivados del tomate y otras fuentes de antioxidantes durante el cebo de corderos de raza merina sobre la calidad de la canal y de la carne fresca y envasada en atmósferas protectoras’ (‘Addition of by-products derived from tomatoes and other sources of antioxidants during the fattening of Merino lambs: effects on carcass quality and the quality of fresh meat in modified atmosphere packaging’], University of Extremadura, 2015.

Finally, the reference to the Spanish national standard 45011 in the last paragraph of the ‘health and wellbeing’ sub-section has been replaced with a reference to the standard that is currently applicable, ISO/IEC 17065:2012.

Current text:

b) Growth and fattening stage:

Only light lambs [ternascos] undergo this stage. It begins at weaning (which is not mandatory) when the lamb is approximately 45 days old and ends with its slaughter.

During this stage, the lamb should be fed with white straw, cereal-based concentrates, legumes, vitamins and minerals. If the lamb has not been weaned, the foregoing substances are to be supplemented with its mother’s milk. Concentrated feedstuffs may not include urea or any by-products not derived from cereals or legumes.

The use of substances that could interfere with the lamb’s normal rate of growth and development in any way is expressly banned.

Amended text:

b) Growth and fattening stage:

Only light lambs [ternascos] undergo this stage. It begins at weaning (which is not mandatory) when the lamb is approximately 45 days old and ends with its slaughter.

During this stage, the lamb should be fed with white straw, concentrates based mainly on cereals, legumes, vitamins and minerals. If the lamb has not been weaned, the foregoing substances are to be supplemented with its mother’s milk. Concentrated feedstuffs may not include urea or any products of animal origin.

The use of substances that could interfere with the lamb’s normal rate of growth and development in any way is expressly banned.

Current text:

If the Governing Board considers it necessary to do so, it may produce documents laying down any conditions necessary to ensure that animals are handled correctly at farms, complying at all times with the requirements laid down in Standard 45011.

Amended text:

If the Governing Board considers it necessary to do so, it may produce documents laying down any conditions necessary to ensure that animals are handled correctly at farms, complying at all times with the requirements laid down in Standard ISO/IEC 17065.

Amendment 4: description and reasons

Section G: Inspection body

The reference to the inspection body has been updated to reflect its new name. The state-owned businesses Riegos del Canal de Navarra, S.A.U., Riegos de Navarra, S.A.U., Instituto de Calidad Agroalimentaria de Navarra, S.A.U. (ICAN), Instituto Técnico y de Gestión Ganadera, S.A.U. and Instituto Técnico y de Gestión Agrícola, S.A.U. were merged on 1 October 2011 to form a single entity, Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias, S.A. (INTIA).

This merger has not caused any changes in relations with the accreditation agency, competent authorities and certified operators because:

— the agreements and contracts signed with ICAN remain in force and INTIA, S.A. has assumed all the above entities’ rights and obligations;

— the certificates issued by ICAN’s certification division are still valid;

— the entire ICAN certification division has been transferred to the agri-food department of the new entity, retaining the same structure and with the same responsibilities and tasks assigned to its staff;

— the 52/C-PR-120 accreditation that was originally granted to ICAN under ISO/IEC 17065 for the certification of PGI ‘Cordero de Navarra’ (among other things) remains in force, with INTIA as the accredited entity.

Current text:

Instituto de Calidad Agroalimentaria de Navarra (ICAN) is the inspection body for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’.

The inspection body’s name and contact details are as follows:

Name: Instituto de Calidad Agroalimentaria de Navarra (ICAN) Address: Avenida Serapio Huici, 22 Edificio Peritos 31610 Villava NAVARRA ESPAÑA Tel. +34 948013045 Fax +34 948071549

Amended text:

Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias, S.A. (INTIA) is the inspection body for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’.

The current inspection body’s name and contact details are as follows:

Name: Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias, S.A. (INTIA) Address: Avenida Serapio Huici, 22 Edificio Peritos 31610 Villava NAVARRA ESPAÑA Tel. +34 948013045 Fax +34 948071549

Amendment 5: description and reasons

Section I: Binding national law

The list of binding national statutes has been updated to reflect the legislation that is now in force.

Current text:

Wine, Vine and Alcohol Statute (Act 25/1970 of 2 December 1970)

Implementing Regulations for Act 25/1970 (Decree 835/1972 of 23 March 1972)

Order of 25 January 1994 specifying the equivalence between Spanish legislation and Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on designations of origin and geographical indications for agricultural products and foodstuffs

Royal Decree 1643/99 of 22 October 1999 establishing the procedure for processing applications for listing on the Community register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications

Amended text:

Royal Decree 1335/2011 of 3 October 2011 establishing the procedure for processing applications for the registration of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and objections to such applications

Royal Decree 149/2014 of 7 March 2014 amending Royal Decree 1335/2011 of 3 October 2011 establishing the procedure for processing applications for the registration of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and objections to such applications

Amendment 6: description and reasons

Cover page of the product specification

The reference to the article of the European legislation establishing the minimum information that product specifications had to include (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92) has been removed from the cover page. As well as the fact that this Regulation has since been repealed, it has been decided that the specification should not contain any such reference.

Current text:

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION in accordance with Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92

Amended text:

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

6. Updated product specification (only for PDO and PGI)

https://goo.gl/YqXXi6

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘CORDERO DE NAVARRA’/‘NAFARROAKO ARKUMEA’

EU No: PGI-ES-0212-AM01 — 8.9.2017

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name(s)

‘Cordero de Navarra’/‘Nafarroako Arkumea’

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product [listed in Annex XI]

Class 1.1 Fresh meat (and offal)

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

This geographical indication protects pure-bred lambs of the Navarra and Lacho breeds sold as fresh meat.

There are two distinct categories: milk-fed (lechal) lambs and light (ternasco) lambs.

Milk-fed lambs are male or female lambs of the Lacho or Navarra breeds, suckled by the ewe up to the time of slaughter, with a carcass weight — including the head and offal — of 5-8 kg (Lacho breed) or 6-8 kg (Navarra breed).

Light lambs are male or female lambs of the Navarra breed, suckled by the ewe for at least 45 days from birth, with a carcass weight — not including the head or offal — of 9-12 kg.

Milk-fed lambs must be from the ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘A’ or ‘B’ of the Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182), while light lambs must be from the ‘1st’ quality of categories ‘B’ or ‘C’ of the same scale.

The carcasses must also have the following characteristics:

Milk-fed lamb (lechal): slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight in Annex III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182) and pearly white to pale pink meat that is tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

Light lamb (ternasco): slight to average fat cover (class 2 or 3 of the Classification scale for carcasses of lambs of less than 13 kg carcass weight in Annex III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182) and pale pink meat, slightly marbled with intramuscular fat, that is tender and very succulent, with a smooth texture and distinctive flavour.

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

The lambs covered by this PGI must be the offspring of ewes whose reproduction cycle has taken place under extensive or semi-extensive rearing systems, fed with pasture and other natural plant resources in application of practices that are traditional to the geographical area.

Milk-fed lambs are suckled by ewes until they are slaughtered, at which point their carcasses will weigh 5-8 kg.

Light lambs are suckled until they are at least 45 days old. During the fattening stage, the lambs are fed white straw, concentrates (mainly cereal-based), legumes, vitamins and minerals. If the lamb has not been weaned at 45 days, the foregoing substances are supplemented with its mother’s milk during the fattening stage. The carcass weight at slaughter is 9-12 kg. Concentrated feedstuffs may not include urea or any products of animal origin.

The use of products that could interfere with the lamb’s normal rate of growth and development in any way is expressly banned.

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

The area in which the lambs are bred, reared and fattened spans the whole of the province of Navarre. The Lacho breed is found in the northern half of the province, while the Navarra breed is found throughout Navarre with the exception of the north-west. The specific municipalities for each breed are those listed in the product specification.

The area in which the protected lamb meat is produced and processed spans the whole of the Autonomous Community of Navarre.

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

—

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

Lamb carcasses covered by this PGI must be labelled with a numbered main label or secondary label issued by the Governing Board, bearing the words ‘Indicación Geográfica Protegida Cordero de Navarra o Nafarroako Arkumea’.

There are three types of label for the three types of lamb covered by this scheme: 1) ‘raza Navarra ternasco’ (‘light lamb, Navarra breed’]; 2) ‘raza Navarra lechal’ (‘milk-fed lamb, Navarra breed’]; and 3) ‘raza Lacha lechal’ (‘milk-fed lamb, Lacho breed’]. All of these labels are marked with a serial number and the PGI logo. A blue background is used for the ‘light lamb, Navarra breed’ labels, a yellow background for the ‘milk-fed lamb, Navarra breed’ labels, and a red background for the ‘milk-fed lamb, Lacho breed’ labels.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The defined geographical area covers the entire territory of the Autonomous Community of Navarre. which is located in the northern Iberian Peninsula at the western end of the Pyrenees. It spans the area between 41°55′34″N to 43°, 18′36″N and 1°11′33″E to 2°56′57″E (on the ‘Madrid Meridian’), and has a surface area of 10 421 km2. Navarre is bordered by France to the north, La Rioja and Zaragoza to the south, Zaragoza and Huesca to the east, and Araba/Álava and Gipuzkoa to the west.

5. Link with the geographical area

The importance of lamb to the Navarrese people is indisputable: the meat is one of the main ingredients of local popular cuisine. Praise from culinary experts and historians for the virtues of Navarrese lamb can be found in documentary sources dating back through the ages.

Historical documents refer to lamb’s popularity among the people of medieval Navarre, including at monasteries and royal banquets.

The tradition is still very much alive today. Culinary experts have been making notable references to Navarrese lamb and its benefits throughout the twentieth century. These include Cristino Álvarez (known by the pseudonym ‘Caius Apicius’), according to whom ‘the lambs of Navarre — specifically those of the Pamplona basin — enjoy well-deserved fame. Lamb is probably the most traditional meat-based dish served in Navarre, and the quality of the meat — an essential requirement for a successful dish — is more than guaranteed’.

As for the link between the Navarra and Lacho breeds of sheep and the local area, it has been proven that these two breeds have co-existed in Navarre since prehistoric times, sometimes sharing the same lands and pastures and other times spreading into different areas that are more suited to their different characteristics.

Navarre’s ovine population has endured throughout Roman, medieval and modern times, overcoming the crises and drastic changes that have hit the rural world this century.

Reference to publication of the product specification

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

https://goo.gl/YqXXi6

(1) OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

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