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
Date: 2001-11-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Canary Islands, designation of origin, goats’ milk cheese, labelling, location of production

C 319/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.11.2001

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

(2001/C 319/03)

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 in point 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: 76

1. Responsible department in the Member State

1.1. Name:

Subdirecci(cid:243)n General de Denominaciones de Calidad y Relaciones Interprofesionales y
Contractuales (cid:151) Direcci(cid:243)n General de Alimentaci(cid:243)n (cid:151) Subsecretar(cid:237)a de Agricultura,
Pesca y Alimentaci(cid:243)n del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentaci(cid:243)n de Espaæa

1.2. Address:

Infanta Isabel, 1, E-28071 Madrid

Tel.

Fax:

(34) 913 47 53 94,

(34) 913 47 54 10.

2. Applicant group

2.1. Name:

(a) Asociaci(cid:243)n de Artesanos Queseros de Villa de Mazo (Arquemazo)

(b) Ganaderos Artesanos S. Antonio del Monte Gasam, Soc. Coop

(c) Asociaci(cid:243)n Palmera e Agricultores y Ganaderos (ASPA)

(d) Asociaci(cid:243)n de Ganaderos Teguevite.

(e) Asociaci(cid:243)n de Ganaderos de Palma (Agapalma)

2.2. Address:

(a) Plaza Pedro PØrez D(cid:237)az, 3, E-38730 Villa de Mazo

(b) S. Antonio del Monte, s/n, E-38787 Villa de Garaf(cid:237)a

(c) Teniente General GonzÆlez del Hierro, 13, 4o B, E-38760 Los Llanos de Aridane

(d) El Topo, no 13 (El Granel), E-38714 Puntallana

e) Sto Domingo de Garaf(cid:237)a, s/n, E-38788 Villa de Garaf(cid:237)a.

2.3. Composition: producers/maturers (x)

other (

).

14.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 319/7

3. Type of product: Class 1.3. (cid:151) cheese.

4. Specification: (Summary of requirement under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: (cid:145)Queso Palmero(cid:146) or (cid:145)Queso de la Palma(cid:146).

4.2. Description: This cheese is produced on the island of La Palma (Canary Islands) with milk of La
Palma goats belonging to the (cid:145)Agrupaci(cid:243)n Caprina Canaria(cid:146)
(Canary Islands Goat-Breeders
Association). The feed of the goats is based on the island’s forage resources and natural kid
rennet. All production is currently small-scale, carried out on small farms and uses unpasteurised
milk. The cheeses is generally eaten fresh, although young, semi-mature and mature cheeses are
also made. The cheese are made in the form of a flattened cylinder and weigh up to 15 kg. The
rind is white, but the cheeses are usually smoked, giving them a darker colour.

4.3. Geographical area: The area in which (cid:145)Queso Palmero(cid:146) is produced and matured and in which the
milk used is produced comprises the following municipal areas of the island of La Palma, in the
Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain): Barlovento, Breæa Alta, Breæa Baja,
Garaf(cid:237)a, El Paso, Fuencaliente, Los Llanos de Aridane, Puntagorda, Puntallana, San AndrØs y Sauces,
Santa Cruz de la Palma, Tazacorte, Tijarafe and Villa de Mazo. The total area is: 706 km2.

4.4. Proof of origin: (cid:145)Queso Palmero(cid:146) is produced and matured and the milk used is produced entirely

on the island of La Palma.

The holdings on which the milk used for protected cheeses is produced, the cheese-production
facilities and the maturing premises are entered on the relevant registers and subject to checks and
inspections by the inspection body, which will certify those lots of cheeses that can be protected by
the name and supply the numbered labels necessary for their identification.

4.5. Method of production: The process begins with the filtering of the freshly collected milk. It is
immediately curdled to prevent any loss of heat (27 (cid:176)C to 33 (cid:176)C) using natural rennet from suckling
kids. The milk takes on average 45 minutes to coagulate. The curd is cut into small pieces, so as to
facilitate draining, and placed in moulds. It is then pressed and placed on fine plastic mesh to help
draining. The cheese are then dry salted, using the island’s own sea salt.

After salting, the cheese is often smoked. The smoke is obtained using various types of plant
matter, the principal ones being almond shells (Prunus dulcis), prickly pear plant (Opuntia ficus indica)
and Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis).

The cheeses are matured in cellars or air-conditioned premises, where, in addition to being turned,
the rind is usually coated with olive oil or roasted maize meal to protect it.

4.6. Link: The distinguishing characteristics of (cid:145)Queso Palmero(cid:146) are very closly linked to the special

environment of the island of La Palma, which has a number of unique factors:

(a)

its own breed of dairy goats;

(b) rich and varied vegetation, with high-quality indigenous grazing;

(c) an island location with a hilly terrain creating a great variety of microclimates that permit

livestock to graze throughout the year;

C 319/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

14.11.2001

(d) a long stockfarming tradition going back to the times of the original prehispanic population.
The tradition was continued by later setters for whom it became one of the principal means of
support and whose cheese-making traditions have come down to us today. Documents from
the sixteenth century attest to the importance of cheese on the island in those times, when it
was already exported to the Americas and to other islands in the Atlantic.

4.7. Inspection body:

Name:

Direcci(cid:243)n General de Pol(cid:237)tica Agroalimentaria de la Consejer(cid:237)a de Agricultura,
Ganader(cid:237)a, Pesca y Alimentaci(cid:243)n

Address: Avenida JosØ Manuel GuimerÆ, no 8, 4a planta, E-38003 Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Tel.

Fax:

(34) 922 47 65 14,

(34) 922 47 67 39.

4.8. Labelling: Labels must bear the following wording: (cid:145)Queso Palmero(cid:146) or (cid:145)Queso de La Palma-Desig-
nation of origin(cid:146). The cheese must bear a duly numbered certification mark in accordance with the
model given in the specification.

4.9. National requierments:

(cid:151) Law 25/1970 of 2 Deceber 1970 laying down rules on vineyards, wine and spirit drinks.

(cid:151) Decree 835/1972 of 28 March 1972 laying detailed rules for the implementation of Law

25/1970.

(cid:151) Order of 25 January 1994 specifying the correlation between Spanish legislation and Regulation
indications for agri-

(EEC) 2081/92 with regard to designations of origin and geographical
cultural products and foodstuffs.

(cid:151) Royal Decree 1643/99 of 22 October 1999 laying down the procedure for processing
applications for registration in the Community Register of Proteced Designations of Origin
and Protected Geographical Indications.

EC No: G/ES/00172/2000.11.28

Date of receipt of the full application: 28 November 2000