EN Official Journal of the European Union C 329/16

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

(2017/C 329/13)

This publication confers the right to oppose the amendment application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘CEREZAS DE LA MONTAÑA DE ALICANTE’

EU No: PGI-ES-02157 — 1.7.2016

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ Carretera Albaida-Denia, s/n 03788 Alpatró – La Vall de Gallinera ALICANTE ESPAÑA

The Regulatory Council for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ is the legitimate interested party in the amendment application for the specification of the above Protected Geographical Indication and is also responsible for its protection.

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment

— ☐ Name of product — ☒ Product description — ☒ Geographical area — ☐ Proof of origin — ☐ Method of production — ☐ Link — ☐ Labelling — ☐ Others (please specify)

4. Type of amendment

— ☒ Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. — ☐ Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published, not qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

5. Amendment(s)

1. The first amendment is the inclusion of the following varieties of cherry: ‘Early Lory’, ‘Prime Giant’, ‘Sweet Heart’ and ‘Brooks’, and the removal of the following varieties: ‘Tilagua’, ‘Planera’ and ‘Nadal’. Since the registration of the ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ PGI, new varieties of cherry have been grown in the defined area. Over the years, those varieties that have best adapted to the area and whose fruit displays characteristics similar to ‘Montaña de Alicante’ PGI cherries have been more actively introduced. In recent years, average temperatures in the area have risen, which has led to very poor floral fertilisation. As a result, production of the varieties currently covered — which require a greater number of chilling hours — has dropped significantly. The area planted with these new varieties in the region is sufficiently large to be able to conclude that they have been able to adapt satisfactorily. In this natural and logical evolution, in the same way that the varieties of cherry mentioned above have been introduced, other varieties, such as the ‘Tilagua’, ‘Planera’ and ‘Nadal’, have gradually stopped being grown. The reasons for excluding these varieties from the specification are the ageing of specimens of these varieties, their poor yield, and greater planting of the proposed new varieties. Description of the new varieties: — ‘Early Lory’: A variety very well-suited to early-crop areas. It is bright red on the outside and heart-shaped. It has a pink flesh, and is moderately sweet with a firm consistency. It does not need many chilling hours and it has very low rain resistance. The average size is 28-30 mm. — ‘Prime Giant’: A very early variety. It is characterised by an intense red colour on the outside, and is round in shape, with red flesh, a good flavour and firm consistency. It has low resistance to rain and an average size of 27-32 mm. — ‘Sweet Heart’: A late variety. The skin is dark-red in colour and shiny. It is round in shape, while the flesh is red, with a sweet flavour and firm consistency. High resistance to rain, and an average size of 26-28mm. — ‘Brooks’: Early variety, characterised by its red-coloured skin. Round and flat-ended in shape, the flesh is firm and it has a balanced flavour. It is prone to cracking and has an average size of 27-28 mm.

2. The second amendment is the inclusion of the following municipalities: Alquería de Aznar, Balones and Cañada. All these municipalities border the current defined area. The climatic conditions for growing cherries are identical to those described in the specification. Although cherries have always been grown in these three municipalities, in recent years this crop has become more important, and cherries are currently one of the main crops in these communities. Given their proximity and geographical integration, the varieties grown in Alquería de Aznar, Balones and Cañada are already protected in the registered specification for this PGI.

3. The third amendment consists of a more extended wording of the link. Prior to the amendment application, no single document had been published in respect of the PGI ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’. Rather, there was a summary sheet. This document contained the link which was however quite short and brief, as was generally the case with PDOs/PGIs registered several years ago. It was considered a good idea to flesh out the link in the single document, submitted in connection with the request for an amendment, providing a more detailed explanation of the qualities and reputation of the product attributable to its geographical origin.

4. The fourth amendment concerns the elimination of compulsory packaging within the defined area. The obligation to package the product in the defined area was stipulated in the summary sheet. Since there is no impediment affecting the product, all geographical restrictions on packaging have been removed.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘CEREZAS DE LA MONTAÑA DE ALICANTE’

EU No: PGI-ES-02157 — 1.7.2016

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name

‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

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

The varieties suitable for inclusion under the Protected Geographical Indication shall be solely the following:

Main varieties: ‘Burlat’, ‘Picota’, ‘Picota Ambrunes’, ‘Early Lory’, ‘Prime Giant’, ‘Sweet Heart’, ‘Brooks’

Pollinator varieties: ‘Stark Hardy Giant’, ‘Bing’ and ‘Van’

The characteristics common to all these varieties are:

— A high sugar content, exceeding 11 °Brix.

— The fruit is averagely prone to splitting.

— Stalk of average length, retaining a good condition after harvest.

— Uniformly round in shape and with an intense shine.

— The skin is carmine-red to bright-red colour and is fine and uniform.

— Consistently juicy flesh with a pink to red-wine colour.

— Balanced taste with a firm consistency.

— The stone is average-sized, round but slightly tapered; it is white and very hard.

— It is suited to being grown in the area covered by the PGI ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’.

— It is sufficiently resistant to handling, transport and packing.

The average size of the varieties included is:

— ‘Burlat’: 27-28 mm

— ‘Stark Hardy Giant’: 26-28 mm

— ‘Van’: 26-28 mm

— ‘Bing’: 24-28 mm

— ‘Picota’: 22-24 mm

— ‘Picota Ambrunes’: 23-25 mm

— ‘Early Lory’: 28-30 mm

— ‘Prime Giant’: 27-32 mm

— ‘Sweet Heart’: 26-28 mm

— ‘Brooks’: 27-28 mm

The cherries of the authorised varieties must have the following quality characteristics:

— Whole

— Healthy

— Clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter

— Free of abnormal external moisture

— Free of any foreign smell and/or taste

The protected cherries must only be from the ‘Extra’ class and Class I according to UNECE standards, and for marketing purposes they are classified as follows:

Class 1: Not less than 21 mm

Extra: Not less than 23 mm

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

—

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

Production and harvesting.

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

The wording or labels identifying ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ must include the official European symbol for protected geographical indications, together with the words ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ and ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’.

A conformity mark, known as a secondary label, must also be included. It is identified by means of an alphanumeric key applied during packaging and subject to checks to ensure that it is not reused and to enable traceability.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production zone is located in the north of the province of Alicante and the south of the province of Valencia, in the east of Spain.

The production zone comprises land located in the municipalities of: Agres, Alcocer de Planes, Alcoy, Alfafara, Almudaina, Alquería de Aznar, Balones, Beneixama, Beniarrés, Benillup, Benimarfull, Biar, Cañada, Castalla, Cocentaina, Confrides, Cuatretondeta, Gaianes, Gorga, Ibi, Jijona, Lorcha, Millena, Monóvar, Muro de Alcoy, Penáguila, Pinoso, Planes, Tollos, Vall d’Alcalá, Vall d’Ebo, Vall de Gallinera, Vall de Laguart and Villena in the province of Alicante, and Bocairent and Ontinyent in the province of Valencia.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Natural factors

The production area is one of the most mountainous of the Autonomous Community of Valencia. It lies in the foothills of the Betic sub-chain, with a typically structural relief alternating between anticlines and synclines. This leads to a mountainous terrain with many irregularities.

The soils are characterised by their high calcium carbonate content and the lack of organic material.

The average annual temperature is between 13 °C and 15,5 °C, with annual average precipitation of 350-650 mm. It is a temperate Mediterranean climate, with colder temperatures and greater precipitation than the rest of the province.

Human factors

Since it is an area in which cherries have traditionally been grown, the farmers’ good growing practices boost the quality of the product. These good traditional growing practices consist of pruning according to a vase-and-palmette training system, ploughing the land, and manual harvesting, selecting the fruit in several harvesting stages when it has the optimum degree of ripeness.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The cherries are characterised by their high level of sweetness (min. 11 °Brix), carmine-red-to-bright-red colour, and their firm pink to red-wine coloured flesh. They have a spherical shape, and are generally small and pointed at the bottom.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDOs) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product (for PGIs)

The link between the cherry and the geographical area is based on the reputation of the ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’. This reputation is due to the organoleptic characteristics of the fruit and its economic and gastronomic importance, as well as its importance as an integral element in the area’s landscape.

The protected area is characterised by a very pronounced, mountainous and irregular terrain. The farms are small, and often located on terraces carved out of the slopes of the mountain, allowing for only one line of trees, which gives this region its very distinct appearance. The temperatures are slightly lower than usual for places so close to the Mediterranean Sea.

These factors considerably limit the crop in the area, and the cherry has been present for decades, thus forming a unique landscape, especially when the crop is in flower.

The know-how of producers in the region, combined with years of experience, have developed appropriate growing techniques for the successful production of cherries in these areas with their frequent frosts, drought and rugged relief.

It is for this reason that the processing of the cherries is primarily artisanal, from harvesting and selection to packaging.

The resulting product is a cherry with a high degree of sweetness, pink to red-wine coloured flesh, and a spherical shape.

The reputation of ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ is supported by the Cherry Festival, which is held every year in springtime. It features various talks, competitions and activities to do with cherries. There is a gastronomic trail around the various bars and restaurants of the area that make main courses and desserts from cherries, the area’s most characteristic and authentic product. There are also study visits to cherry fields, where cherry growing is explained, and to packaging plants, to show the handling process.

In recent years, the tradition of growing in the area has led to various agro-tourism trails, in which the uniqueness of the cherry-influenced environment is promoted.

The influence of ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ has extended to gastronomy, so that for many years now, there have been recipes in which this fruit is used, e.g. the recipe from 1992 based on ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’, called ‘Pure Temptation’.

The origins of cherry cultivation in the area go back to the 16th century. Today, ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ are still the economic engine of this area as regards agricultural production.

In short, ‘Cerezas de la Montaña de Alicante’ is a product that has specific organoleptic qualities (sweet and intense flavour), and a proven reputation, which transcends the strictly agricultural, extending to gastronomy, the landscape and culture.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

http://www.agricultura.gva.es/modificacion_pc_igpcerezasalicante

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