Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin
Date: 2004-02-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Marches, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, olive oil, product designation

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

(2004/C 41/02)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Articles 7 and 12d of the
abovementioned Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent
authority in a Member State, in a WTO member country or in a third country recognized in accordance
with Article 12(3) 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: 12/2002

1.

Responsible department in Member State

Name:

Ministero delle Politiche agricole e forestali

Address: Via XX Settembre, 20 — I-00187 Roma

Tel.

Fax

(39-06) 481 99 68

(39-06) 42 01 31 26

E-mail:

qualita@politicheagricole.it

2. Applicant group

Name:

Consorzio di tutela e valorizzazione dell'olio extra di oliva Cartoceto

Address: Piazza Garibaldi, 1 — I-61030 Cartoceto (PS)

Composition: Producer/processor (x)

other (

)

Type of product: Group 1.5 — extra virgin olive oil

Specification

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

3.

4.

4.1. N a m e :

‘Cartoceto’

4.2. D e s c r i p t i o n : Extra virgin olive oil with the following chemical and organoleptic characteristics:

— maximum acidity: 0,5 % (expressed as oleic acid),

— panel test points ‡ 7, clear absence of defects and perception of the fruity,

— peroxides: maximum value 12 meq O2/kg,

— total polyphenols ‡ 100 mg/kg,

— oleic/linoleic acid ratio ‡ 8,

— green or green with golden yellow tints for oils still very young; golden yellow with greenish tints

for more mature oils,

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— aroma: green olive fruity from light to medium on the IOOC scale with a light herbaceous note,

— taste: well balanced, fusing green fruity, sweet, bitter and pungent.

4.3. G e o g r a p h i c a l a r e a : The production area is located in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino (Marche
Region) and comprises the territory of the communes of Cartoceto, Saltara, Serrungarina and Momba-
roccio and part of that of Fano (entire north hill slope bounded by the Flaminia national highway to
its junction with the Adriatica national highway (south side) and the administrative boundary (north
side).

4.4. P r o o f o f o r i g i n : Some historians ascribe the origin of Cartoceto and the surrounding villages to
Carthaginians who survived the battle on the River Metauros (207 BC) and escaped capture and
slaughter by sheltering in the woods on the right bank of the river, while others crossed it and
hid in the hills overlooking the valley, then covered in thick woods. Unable to return home, they
stayed where they were and formed the first family groups. Thus Cartoceto would derive from
Karchidon or Karthada, the Greek name for Carthage, or from the Latin Carthaginensium coetus
‘group of Carthaginians’, hence Carticetum.

The presence of the olive in the Cartoceto district is attested by a series of acts and documents dating
back to the 13th century, when for the granting of lands in lease, including ground with olive trees at
Ripalta, from 1178 agreements were concluded assigning half of the olive crop and stipulating
payment of 100 soldi of Lucca if the terms were not kept. The lands under the jurisdiction of
Fano were an important source of olive oil and Cartoceto was of particular importance, outstanding
for its production, as noted in 1392 by l'Amiani in the Memorie historiche della città di Fano. The
great interest of the owners in growing olives is apparent in the 1540 land register when 116 out of
195 had olive trees on their ground. Despite the duties on oil Cartoceto increased the number of trees
over the centuries. Between 1590 and 1681 it quadrupled.

Notarial acts of that period record the presence of numerous mills at Cartoceto and cast light on the
provisions governing them. Joint operation is a recurring feature throughout the 15th and 16th
In consequence
centuries, with enterprises being set up between owners on specific terms.
breaking up the ownership of a mill was a complex and sometimes confused matter. Often one is
dealing with a half or a third part but there are also cases of smaller divisions where given the
awkwardness of the operation several people were assigned to the assessment. From examination of
the notarial deeds in chronological succession it is deduced that on 1 August 1538 seven mills were
operating in Cartoceto. That oil produced there has always been among the most highly prized of
goods is shown by its being used in 1390 to indicate the value of other goods, e.g. ‘a white ass with a
saddle is worth seven quartaroli of oil’ (61 litres). The oil fulfilled various functions: it served as a
form of payment for various types of work and was given in income to each canon of the collegiate
church and as revenue to the bishop. From the earliest times the community made sure that the oil
could be sold at a booth in the piazza particularly on market days. The seller undertook not to
increase the price to strangers, to keep the oil in good condition and in the containers and to display
a placard with the price. The oil met not only the needs of the district but was in demand and
appreciated elsewhere. Various documents attest the fame that the oil produced at Cartoceto had
acquired as far back as 1500.

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Growing, processing and bottling take place within the delimited area. Bottling has to be within the
area in order to safeguard the distinctive characteristics and quality of the oil by having inspection by
the third party organisation carried out under the watchful eye of the producers themselves, to whom
the protected designation of origin is of vital importance, offering as it does, and as the Regulation
itself intends, a means of supplementing their income. Moreover, this operation has traditionally
being carried out in the delimited area.

The olives come from the growers' registered groves and extraction, bottling and packaging are done
by approved registered establishments. The inspection body checks that the technical requirements
that the production specification imposes for registration are met and that all the parties in the
production chain comply with the traceability provisions.

4.5. M e t h o d o f p r o d u c t i o n : The oil

is produced from the varieties Raggiola, Frantoio and
Leccino, which in the groves must have a representation jointly or individually of not less than
70 %. The minor varieties Raggia, Moraiolo and Pendolino are allowed up to a maximum of 30 %.
Cropping starts when the colour change begins (in the delimited zone this is generally seen from the
second 10 days of October) and is not prolonged beyond 25 November each year. The olives are
picked either by the traditional hand-combing method or pneumatic or electric rakes are used.
Shaking, beating down and detachment are prohibited. Until they are crushed the olives are kept
in rigid ventilated containers that prevent damage to the fruit. Treatment is given against Dacus oleae
from the end of July/beginning of August (the last treatment can never be later than 10 September)
and against sooty mould in winter and summer.

Maximum production is 9 000 kg per hectare for the new groves (dynamic layout, irrigated land,
particularly fertile soil) and for the old traditional groves 7 500 kg, while for mixed groves the
average production is 20 kg per tree. The oil must be bottled in the area and produced exclusively
from healthy olives grown and crushed in it. Crushing must occur within 48 hours of cropping and
the olives can be kept in the mill for only a few hours. Extraction is exclusively by traditional
methods or in continuous process and throughout the extraction cycle the temperature parameters
in Regulation (EC) 2568/92 must be strictly observed and the production specification
set
requirements setting crushing procedures,
temperatures and kneading times according to the
degree of colouring and cropping period adhered to. The ripasso method is prohibited, as are use
of chemical or biochemical products during conversion of the olives into oil, and only mechanical
filteration is permitted. Deleafing is done in advance. The yield may not exceed 18 kg/quintal of
olives. Until bottled the oil must be kept in stainless steel casks under nitrogen.

4.6. L i n k : The presence of the olive in the district is a characteristic feature of the landscape. Its
cultivation is part of the way of life of the small community and the history of its cultivation is
part of the community's history. A microclimate favoured by the predominantly south to south-east
exposure, the restricted altitudes, the natural barriers of the Partemio hills and of the Mattera, the hill
slopes of which the entire zone is made up, the medium-textured predominantly tuff/sandstone soil
dating back to the Miocene, the ascending tributaries of the Metauro rising through the Rio Secco and
the cold winds deflected by the Cesane have in conjunction made this a decisively olive-growing area.
The climate is sub-Mediterranean, ideal for the olive, with a mean annual temperature of around
14 °C as a result of minima around 0 °C in January and February and July and August temperatures of
no more than 26 °C.

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Olive-growing is deeply rooted in the delimited area and there are numerous testimonies to the strong
tie between the olive and the population. A well known example is the First People's Council in
January 1558, where in the presence of Cartoceto's magistrate and the area's notary 50 of the most
representative and prominent people discussed the serious economic and financial situation into
impositions. To
which the Cartoceto community was falling owing to the many recurring fiscal
stop the situation constantly worsening the community decided to acquire one or two oil mills in
order to provide a secure income with which to pay the various taxes.

As far back at the 16th century the oil was subjected to rigid supervision and there were various
provisions aimed at keeping track of the olives pouring into the mills and so forestalling speculative
hoarding and smuggling. Successive decrees required declaration of the oil just extracted and also of
old oil and the place where it was stored. It was made compulsory to keep at the mills dated books
with progressive numbers and to enter on one side the olives brought and the presser's name and on
the other the quantity of oil produced. For offenders there was a fine of 25 scudi and other penalties.
After pressing a note of the oil had to be sent to the criminal chancery at Fano.

Despite the vicissitudes the Cartoceto community has undergone interest in the olive and its culti-
vation has always been high and establishment of the ‘Olive and olive oil fair and market’, held in the
month of November since 1977, which arouses great interest and is highly attended, is the most
conspicuous manifestation of this.

4.7. I n s p e c t i o n b o d y

Name: Agroqualita' s.r.l.

Address: Via Montebello, 8 — I-00185 Roma

4.8. L a b e l l i n g

Olio extra vergine di oliva ‘Cartoceto’ Denominazione di Origine Protetta

The name must appear on the label in clear indelible lettering coloured in strong contrast to the label
colour and markedly distinct from the other indications on the label.

The oil must be sold for consumption in glass containers of capacity not exceeding 5 litres.

4.9. N a t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t s : —

EC No: IT/00292/31.01.2003.

Date of receipt of full application: 17 November 2003.