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

(2003/C 11/04)

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 ( ) PGI (x)

National application No: EL-09/01-5

1. Responsible department in Member State Name: Υπουργείο Γεωργίας

Address: Δ/νση ΠΑΠ Δενδροκηπευτικής

Tel. (30-10) 212 41 78

Fax (30-10) 524 80 13

2. Applicant group 2.1. Name: Επιχείρηση Ανάπτυξης Πρωτογενούς Τομέα Δήμου Μελιτειέων

2.2. Address: Μοραΐτικα Κέρκυρας, GR-49084 Κέρκυρα

2.3. Composition: Producers/processors (x) Other ( )

3. Type of product: 1.5 - Oils and fats

4. Specification

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: "Άγιος Ματθαιος Κερκύρας" (Agios Mathaios Kerkyras)

4.2. Description: The olive belongs to the genus Olea of the family Oleaceae. The cultivated olive is the species Olea europea sativa. It includes a large number of improved varieties that are propagated by cultivating or grafting cuttings. An evergreen thriving in warm dry areas, it is one of the very few trees that can produce fruit on even infertile stony soils. It reaches a height of 15-20 metres. Its most important products are olive oil and table olives.

The oil is produced by crushing the fruit. It is an important food product and basic constituent of the Mediterranean diet, which recent research shows to be among the healthiest.

4.3. Geographical area: The area in which the Koroneiki olive variety is grown and used to produce the virgin olive oil for which registration as a protected geographical indication product (PGI) is sought is the district of Agios Mattheos of the municipality of Melitiïs in the Prefecture of Kerkira. The total number of trees of the Koroneiki variety in the delimited area is 25000. These trees account for 12,7 % of the total number olive trees.

4.4. Proof of origin: The olive is known from historical sources and archaeological finds to have been grown in Greece since ancient times. For instance during the excavations of Phaistos (Middle Minoan period, 2000-1800 BC) among the seeds found that of the olive was recognised. From Ancient Greece down to the present the olive has been the country's most sacred tree and is directly linked to its culture and nutrition. Its history originated on the coasts of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. The diet, religion and art of the Ancient Greeks all embraced the olive, its branch being used as a symbol of peace, wisdom and victory. Even the winners in the Olympic Games received a wild olive branch as prize and Athena was established as goddess of Attica when she presented the tree as source of wealth.

Olive cultivation on Kerkira, the island of the Phaeacians, is mentioned in Homer but was not particularly significant, viticulture being dominant on the island. The situation remained more or less unchanged down to the 16th century but at the beginning of the 17th century when the island was controlled by the Venetians its landowners were induced by a combination of edicts and a type of subsidy to abandon viticulture and change to systematic olive growing. Their acceptance of the change was such that travellers of the time spoke of the island being one vast olive grove.

From that period down to the present olive growing has been the main resource of the agrarian population of Kerkira and particularly of the inhabitants of Agios Mattheos. The traditional mode of cultivation, the outcome of the experience of many years, in conjunction with the specific soil and weather conditions of the area, conduces to production of a particularly remarkable oil of which D. Sarakomenos, one of the pioneers of agricultural science in Greece, typically said, "If it received the necessary care in its preparation it would hold first place among table oils".

4.5. Method of production: Harvesting of the olives is phased and begins when the fruit is mature around the month of November. The worker stands on the ground or on a ladder and beats the olive-growing branches with a pole, taking care not to cause any damage that would facilitate pathogenic attack. Nets below the trees catch the falling fruit.

After some leaf removal it is put into 50 kg bags or into plastic boxes and taken to one of seven mills within the delimited area (six centrifuge type and one traditional). These have enough capacity to handle the olives grown in the area.

After removal of the foreign bodies the olives are washed and burst and the paste kneaded at low temperature not exceeding 30 °C for 30 minutes. The oil is then extracted by centrifugation or at the traditional mill pressing.

The material that comes into contact with the paste and the oil is of stainless steel. The oil is stored in stainless covered vats until it goes to the trade.

4.6. Link: Koroneiki is one of the best Greek varieties and is used exclusively to produce fine quality oil. The characteristics of the oil of the specific area must be ascribed to its particular soil and weather conditions. It is the most northerly point of cultivation of the Koroneiki variety in Greece. This in combination with cultivation on sloping ground of average fertility with a temperate climate as in the rest of Greece but one of the highest rainfall levels in Greece leads to an outstanding product.

4.7. Inspection body: Name: Νομαρχιακή Αυτοδιοίκηση Κερκύρας Διεύθυνση Γεωργίας

Address: Samara 13, GR-49100 Kerkira

4.8. Labelling: It will be compulsory for the product's packaging to carry the words "ΠΑΡΘΕΝΟ ΕΛΑΙΟΛΑΔΟ 'ΑΓΙΟΣ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ ΚΕΡΚΥΡΑΣ' ΠΓΕ (PARTENO ELEOLADO 'AGIOS MATHAIOS KERKYRAS' PGI)" and the indications specified in Article 4(7) of PD 61/93.

4.9. National requirements: The general provisions of Presidential Decree No 61/93 on production procedure for PDO and PGI products apply.

EC No: G/EL/00214/01.11.15.

Date of receipt of full application: 15 November 2001.