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
Date: 2013-10-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, foodstuff, olive oil, product designation








C_2013299EN.01001301.xml










15.10.2013   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 299/13





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
2013/C 299/06
This publication confers the right to object to the amendment application in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).
AMENDMENT APPLICATION

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006


on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
 (2)


AMENDMENT APPLICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 9


‘ANTEQUERA’


EC No: ES-PDO-0105-0327-06.09.2011


PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment








—





Name of product




—


☒


Description of product




—





Geographical area




—


☒


Proof of origin




—


☒


Method of production




—





Link




—


☒


Labelling




—


☒


National requirements




—


☒


Other (Inspection)




2.   Type of amendment








—


☒


Amendment to Single Document or Summary Sheet




—





Amendment to Specification of registered PDO or PGI for which neither the Single Document nor the Summary has been published




—





Amendment to Specification that requires no amendment to the published Single Document (Article 9(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)




—





Temporary amendment to Specification resulting from imposition of obligatory sanitary or phytosanitary measures by public authorities (Article 9(4) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)




3.   Amendments

3.1.   Amendments under Part B ‘Description of product’

B.1.   Definition







—


The first paragraph is reworded as follows:

‘Extra virgin olive oil, obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europea L.) of the Hojiblanca variety, with the possible addition of minority varieties such as Picual or Marteño, Arbequina, Picudo, Lechín de Sevilla or Zorzaleño, Picudo, Gordal de Archidona, Verdial de Vélez Málaga and Verdial de Huévar, using exclusively physical or mechanical procedures at a temperature that does not affect the natural chemical composition of the oil, thus preserving the taste, aroma and characteristics of the fruit from which it is produced.’





B.3.   Physical/chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the oils







—


In the sentence: ‘Antequera oils must have the following organoleptic properties:’,
the words ‘must have’ are replaced by the word ‘have’.
Justification: this was a mistake. A study was carried out before registration as a PDO defining the organoleptic properties The text is amended to make it clearer.










—


The end of the subparagraph, from ‘The oils covered by the “Antequera” Protected Designation of Origin must be …’ and the table of parameters are replaced by the following:

‘The oils covered by the “Antequera” Protected Designation of Origin must be extra virgin olive oils and have the following properties:






Physical/chemical properties


 




Acidity (%)


Maximum 0,3




Peroxide value (meq oxygen per kg of oil)


Maximum 10




K270 (absorbency 270 nm)


Maximum 0,15













Organoleptic properties


 




Median for fruitiness


at least 4




Median for defects


0’





Justification: the specifications of a single type of oil are described and the references to ‘smooth’ and ‘intense’ oils are removed. The physical/chemical and organoleptic properties of the highest quality oils have been maintained as these are those that define Antequera extra virgin olive oils, which are the oils for which producers have requested registration since the establishment of the Antequera DO and its Regulatory Board. The text is also being adapted to current rules on the labelling of olive oils.
The intensity of the fruitiness has been adapted to the current rules: Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 as amended.
References to tests for impurities and moisture content have been removed because these criteria are linked to filtration and not directly to the quality of the oil and so are not essential for it to be qualified as a PDO.




3.2.   Amendments under point D ‘Proof that the product originates in the area’







—


The following paragraphs are deleted:

‘Only growing practices authorised by the Regulatory Board are used on registered olive groves’.

Justification: all the requirements that the Regulatory Board could impose on certified operators (including those concerning growing practices) must be included in the Specification.
Paragraph 3 of point D: ‘and under the supervision of inspectors approved by the Regulatory Board.’
Justification: this does not comply with the requirements of Standard UNE-EN-45011
‘Specifically, checks must be carried out as follows:
The Regulatory Board must carry out inspections, checks and tests to confirm that the oil to be certified complies with the Specification, including the following inspections:






1.


Location and identification of the parcels, which must be within the production area and be entered in the register kept by the Regulatory Board.










2.


Inspection of the harvest — only olives picked directly from the tree may be used.










3.


Check on the condition of the olives, involving sampling to determine: the moisture and oil contents and the acidity level.










4.


Laboratory tests to check the properties of the oil.










5.


Analyses must be carried out only in laboratories complying with ISO 17025.










6.


Inspection of installations, which must be registered, located within the identified area and fulfil the requirements of the Quality Manual.










7.


On completion of the analyses, the laboratory must send the results of the tests to the Regulatory Board for evaluation. These reports must contain the results of the physical/chemical and organoleptic analyses.




Specifically, the certification procedure is as follows:
The Regulatory Board must evaluate the results of the inspection (inspection report, report of the physical/chemical analysis and report of the organoleptic analysis) before deciding on whether or not to certify a lot. This documentation must not identify the registered producer.
Following certification, the oil is bottled under the supervision of the Regulatory Board.’
Justification: this does not comply with the requirements of Standard UNE-EN-45011 It describes the previous method for evaluating the product.










—


The following is inserted in the Specification:
In the paragraph: ‘The number of secondary labels issued to bottling plants by the Regulatory Board must be based on the oil yield and the capacity of the containers in which the product is to be placed on the market.’
The following is inserted: ‘or checked as regards the use of the trademark’.
Justification: This will prevent any conflict with Law No 17/2001 of 7 December 2001 (the Trademarks Act).




3.3.   Amendments under point E ‘Description of the production method’







—


The heading is amended to bring it into line with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.










—


Paragraph (b) of point E Fertilisation
In the paragraph: ‘Leaf dressing is also applied, using compound fertilisers such as mixes of simple soluble fertilisers or compound fertilisers together with trace elements and amino-acid-based products.’
The following is inserted: ‘… whenever any element is found to be lacking, either on visual inspection or following leaf analysis.’
Justification: the text now specifies when leaf dressing is to be used.










—


The reference to the application of fertilisers in February-April and November is deleted.
Justification: spring and autumn are specified so the reference to the months concerned is unnecessary.










—


The words ‘in autumn’ are inserted concerning the application of fertiliser.
Justification: for the sake of consistency, ‘in spring’ and ‘in autumn’.










—


The following sentence is deleted: ‘At the end of summer/beginning of autumn (September/October), leaf dressing is usually carried out using potassium-rich compound fertilisers. This leaf dressing is usually accompanied by some form of plant-health treatment.’
Justification: the Specification stipulates when leaf dressing is carried out and this does not depend on the date but on the condition of the leaves.




Application of plant-health products






—


Pests: The following is deleted:

‘To control olive moth (Prays oleae), one or two treatments with dimethoate, trichlorfon or Bacyllus thuringiensis are usually applied on the second generation, while the former two are used on the third generation.
To control olive fruit fly (Dacus oleae), dimethoate plus an attractant are used. To control olive scale, carbaryl or phosmet is usually used.’

The following is inserted: ‘To control pests, the necessary treatments must be carried out using products authorised under current legislation.’










—


Diseases: The following is deleted:

‘To prevent leaf spot and the other most serious diseases, two treatments are carried out, usually at the end of winter or the beginning of spring (February-March) and another at the end of summer or the beginning of autumn (September-October), before the autumn rains. Depending on weather conditions, the treatment must be repeated in the following spring and autumn.’

The following is inserted: ‘To control these diseases, the necessary treatments must be carried out using products authorised under current legislation.’










—


Weeds: The following is deleted:

‘To control weeds, mixed methods are used, tillage between the rows of trees and herbicide around the bottom of the trees or tillage between the rows of trees and herbicide over the whole area. Weeds are generally controlled using a mix of pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides. The most widely used mix of active substances is diuron + aminotriazole glyphosate.’

The following is inserted: ‘To control weeds, methods and products authorised under current legislation are used.’
Justification: all references to plant-health products used against pests, diseases and weeds are deleted and the text now stipulates that they must be controlled by carrying out the necessary treatments using products authorised under current legislation.










—


Paragraph (c) of point E Harvesting and transportation
The following paragraph: ‘Depending on the weather conditions, harvesting begins in mid-November and continues until the end of March or into April. The methods used for picking the olives directly from the tree are the traditional method of hand-pole beating and the mechanised method using vibrator pickers. The olives can also be hand picked. The usual procedure is to use a combination of hand-pole beating and mechanised vibration. The most common way of collecting olives that fall from the trees is to place bales around the trees. Olives that have been in contact with the ground cannot be gathered.’
is replaced by: ‘Harvesting takes place from November until March. During the harvest, only healthy olives picked directly from the tree using the traditional method of hand-pole beating or using vibrator pickers or picked by hand may be used for producing the protected oils. Olives that fall from the trees are collected by placing bales around the trees.’
Justification: the harvesting period is defined without taking account of weather conditions. This is the period in which the best quality olives are obtained. The paragraph is redrafted.










—


The following sentence is deleted: ‘The use of abscission products to facilitate olive harvesting is not authorised.’
Justification: the products are not used in the area because the dosage must be measured very precisely. Since they can cause serious leaf-fall, they are no longer used.










—


In the sentence: ‘for pole beating, harvesters use …’ is amended to read ‘for pole beating, harvesters may use …’.
Justification: the sentence is amended to make it clear that any of the methods described in the Specification may be used.










—


In the following paragraph: ‘Only healthy, sufficiently ripe fruit picked directly from the tree are used to produce the district's typical extra virgin olive oils with their characteristic fruitiness. The date of the harvest is set each year on the basis of the weather conditions.’
The following phrases are deleted:

‘The date of the harvest is set each year on the basis of the weather conditions.’

‘sufficiently ripe’.
Justification: the point at which harvesting begins, in November, is stipulated earlier in the Specification. From November, when harvesting begins, the olives are thought to be sufficiently ripe. In addition, ripeness is not a characteristic that contributes to quality oils, since the quality of the oil will be evaluated on the basis of the physical/chemical and organoleptic analyses.










—


In the paragraphs: ‘Be sufficiently clean’ and ‘Where the olives are transported in crates, these must be sufficiently clean’.
The following is inserted: ‘Absence of stones, mud and any product other than olives.’
Justification: in order to stipulate the hygiene conditions that transport vehicles must meet and the degree of cleanliness of the crates used to transport the olives.










—


The reference to the frequency with which the crates are cleaned is deleted (the Specification laid down that the crates must be cleaned on a regular basis).
Justification: the required degree of cleanliness of the crates is stipulated earlier in the Specification and they must be washed when necessary.










—


Paragraph (d) of point E Receipt of the raw material
In the paragraph: ‘Adequate cleaning procedures must be in place for the yards’.
The following is inserted: ‘the delivery lines must be cleaned of products not protected by the PDO before protected products are handled.’
Justification: to specify the cleaning procedures for the yards.










—


The sentence: ‘The olive storage facilities must be cleaned before each working day and whenever this is considered necessary.’
is replaced by: ‘The olive storage facilities must be cleaned each time the quality of olives is changed.’
Justification: daily cleaning is not necessary if the olives stored are of equivalent quality (for DO).










—


Paragraph (e) of point E Processing the olives Preparation
‘Cleaning, washing and weighing the olives:’ The following paragraph is deleted:

‘After the olives have been cleaned and/or washed, a sample must be taken from each delivery batch for physical/chemical analysis. The samples must be recorded.’

Justification: the olives are checked and graded on receipt and so a physical/chemical analysis of each delivery batch is unnecessary, since each lot of oil produced is analysed.
Milling: The following paragraphs are deleted:
‘the time the olives spend in the mill varying depending on the size of the screen mesh in the mill.’
Justification: it is unnecessary to specify the time the olive may spend in the mill, since this does not affect product quality.

‘Under exceptional circumstances, where the necessary hygiene and health conditions are guaranteed, stone-milling may be authorised.’

Justification: the possibility of stone-milling is withdrawn. Stone-milling is no longer used.
Beating the pomace:
In the sentence: ‘Beating times depend on the variety of olive and its degree of ripeness.’
The following is inserted: ‘and may vary between one and three hours.’
Justification: a range of beating times is given because the number of vats that beaters have varies. Exceeding these times causes the pomace to overheat, resulting in poor-quality oils.
In the paragraph: ‘The only authorised adjuvant is certified food-processing talc. This may be used only for olives with a high water content. If talc is used, the beater must have a talc metering device. The maximum authorised amount of talc is 2,5 %.’
The following is deleted: ‘This may be used only for olives with a high water content.’
Justification: its use in incorrect doses affects the fat yield, since the talc begins to absorb oil once it has absorbed all the moisture. Its use has no impact on the properties of the product.
Phase separation:
The following paragraph is deleted:

‘The traditional system of presses is authorised only if it offers the necessary hygiene, health and technological guarantees that it will produce oil with the properties of the “Antequera” Protected Designation of Origin.’

Justification: the possibility of using the traditional system of presses is withdrawn. This system is no longer used in the area.
Separation of solids and liquids by continuous centrifugation:
In the paragraph: ‘Checks to ensure that the water injected or added is of drinking quality and to determine its temperature. The temperature of the water added to the decanters must not exceed 35 °C.’
The following sentence is inserted in the Specification: ‘must ensure that the temperature of the oil contained in them’.
Justification: it must be ensured that the temperature of the oil does not exceed 35 °C so that positive attributes are not lost through volatilisation. The water must therefore have a temperature of no more than 35 °C through heat exchange. There are closed systems that do not permit the water temperature to be measured.
In the paragraph: ‘The added water must be of drinking quality and its temperature no more than 35 °C and the positive thermal gradient from the beater to the vertical centrifuge must be maintained.’
The following sentence is inserted in the Specification: ‘Where the water temperature cannot be measured, the oil temperature must not exceed 35 °C.’
Justification: it is not possible to measure the water temperature in closed systems and this provides the possibility of checking it using the oil temperature.
The sentence: ‘The components of the vertical centrifuges must be cleaned on a regular basis.’
is replaced by: ‘The components of the vertical centrifuges must be cleaned when the quality of the oil is changed and before commencing a new operation.’
Justification: the new text specifies the frequency with which the components of the vertical centrifuges are cleaned.
In the sentence: ‘An initial grading of the oil must be carried out by tasting and acidity analysis when it leaves the vertical centrifuge in order to obtain homogeneous lots.’
The words ‘must be carried out’ are replaced by ‘may be carried out’.
Justification: initial grading at this stage of the process is not obligatory, since it is the physical/chemical and organoleptic analyses of the final lot that determine whether or not it qualifies as a designation of origin, and so the option of doing it or not is provided.
Decanting:
In the paragraph: ‘Adequate decanting capacity, at least six hours centrifugation and 36 hours gravity decantation.’
The following is deleted: ‘six hours centrifugation and’.
Justification: decanting must be exclusively by gravity and not by centrifugation (the oil has already been centrifuged), as this is less aggressive and maintains the properties of the oil.
In the sentence: ‘The temperature of the decanting room must be around 20 °C.’
the words ‘must be around 20 °C’ are replaced by: ‘must not exceed 25 °C.’
Justification: precise definition of the temperature in the decanting room to ensure that the oil will be kept in good condition.
The sentence: ‘The oil should preferably be transferred from the vertical centrifuge to the tanks by gravity.’
is replaced by: ‘The oil must be transferred from the centrifuge to the tanks by gravity or directly to intermediate tanks.’
Justification: the word ‘preferably’ is deleted because it is ambiguous and the procedure for transferring the oil is described.
In the sentence: ‘The tanks must be designed in such a way that they can be cleaned efficiently by regular purging using a valve intended for that purpose.’
The word ‘regular’ is replaced by ‘daily’.
Justification: the frequency with which the tanks are cleaned is stipulated.
In the sentence: ‘The tanks or decanters must be of inert material, preferably stainless steel.’
the words ‘inert material, preferably stainless steel’ are replaced by ‘inert, food-grade material’.
Justification: the new text specifies that the tanks must be of food-grade material, which includes stainless steel, but they may also be of other materials.
The following requirement is deleted: ‘Separation of the decanting room from the mill's other departments’.
Justification: one of the requirements is that the decanters must be closed, therefore separation is not necessary.
Storage in tanks in the warehouse until bottling
In the paragraph: ‘The storage tanks must be completely sealed, be able to be cleaned properly, and be equipped with a system enabling periodic drainage and the taking of samples.’
The words ‘sealed, be able to be cleaned properly, and be equipped with a system enabling periodic drainage’ are replaced by ‘sealed and must have access to permit their proper cleaning, regular drainage’.
Justification: to permit cleaning, the tanks must have an access, generally called a manhole.
In the sentence: ‘The storage area must be climate-controlled to a temperature that ensures the oil does not spoil.’
The following is inserted: ‘of no more than 25 °C’.
Justification: precise definition of the temperature in the warehouses to ensure that the oil will be kept in good condition.










—


Paragraph (f) of point E Transportation of bulk oils and bottling
Regarding the transportation of bulk oils, the following is inserted: ‘of food-grade plastic’.
The following paragraphs are deleted:

‘Oils protected by the “Antequera” Designation of Origin may be transported in bulk only within the production area. This guarantees the traceability and origin of the product.
The oil must be bottled exclusively in registered bottling plants in the production area. This guarantees the traceability and origin of the product.
The requirement to bottle the oil at source is designed strictly to provide a better guarantee of the product's quality and authenticity and, therefore, the standing of the PDO, for which the PDO producers collectively take full responsibility. The checks organised by these producers in the production area are both systematic and meticulous and are performed by professionals who have specialised knowledge of the product's characteristics.
The checks needed to guarantee the quality of the product cannot easily be organised outside the production area’.

Justification: containers made of food-grade plastic are suitable for transporting oil in bulk and do not affect its quality.










—


In paragraph (f): The words ‘Stainless-steel plate filters’ are replaced by ‘a stainless-steel filtration system’.
Justification: the filters need not be plate filters, since there are other types of filtration system. This widens the range of possibilities. The requirement is that they must be of stainless steel.










—


In paragraph (j), the following is added: ‘or certified under standard EN ISO/IEC 17025’ and ‘to ensure compliance with the Specification’.
Justification: the use of a physical/chemical analysis laboratory and a tasting panel certified under standard EN ISO/IEC 17025 ‘General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories’ guarantees technical competence and technically valid results for grading the oils in accordance with the Specification.










—


The sentence: ‘The oil is packaged in glass, lined-metal or ceramic food-grade containers’
is replaced by the following: ‘The oil is packaged in dark glass containers, metal containers lined with a food-grade material or ceramic food-grade containers’.
Justification: it is specified that the glass must be dark to protect the product from light and that the lining must be of food-grade material.




3.4.   Amendments under point G ‘Inspection body’







—


This point is redrafted to include the following text:

‘Verification of compliance with the Specification before the product is marketed is carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.
The competent inspection body is the Directorate-General for Quality, the Agri-Food Sector and Organic Production of the Government of Andalusia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment





C/ Tabladilla, s/n




41071 Sevilla




ESPAÑA




Tel. +34 955032278




Fax +34 955032112




E-mail: dg-ciape.sscc.capma@juntadeandalucia.es




Information on the bodies tasked with checking compliance with the requirements set out in the Specification may be found at the following address:
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/areas-tematicas/industrias-agroalimentarias/calidad-y-promocion-agroalimentaria/denominaciones-de-calidad/aceite-de-oliva.html
The specific tasks will be those necessary to verify compliance with the Specification before the product is placed on the market.’

Justification: amendment so as to comply with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.




3.5.   Amendments under point H ‘Labelling’







—


In the following sentence:
‘The commercial labels of each registered company must be approved by the Regulatory Board.’
The word ‘approved’ is replaced by ‘checked’.
Justification: the labels must be checked by the Regulatory Board as regards the use of the Designation logo, but this it not the same as prior approval and does not constitute an obstacle to the functioning of the internal market.
The following is inserted:
‘as regards the use of the Designation logo’.
Justification: this will prevent any conflict with Law No 17/2001 of 7 December 2001 (the Trademarks Act).










—


In the following sentence:
‘Labels must bear the following text: Denominación de Origen “Antequera” ’
the word ‘text’ has been replaced by ‘wording’,
and the following is inserted:
‘or the logo of the Designation of Origin, and the Union symbol.’
Justification: to bring the text into line with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.










—


In the following sentence:
‘All packing in which the protected oil is shipped for consumption must bear a seal of warranty, lithograph, labels or secondary labels, which must be numbered and issued or approved by the Regulatory Board as regards the use of the Designation trademark.’
The word ‘approved’ is replaced by ‘checked’.
The word ‘trademark’ is replaced by ‘logo’.
Justification: the text now refers exclusively to the Designation of Origin. The labels must be checked by the Regulatory Board as regards the use of the Designation logo, but this it not the same as prior approval and does not constitute an obstacle to the functioning of the internal market.




3.6.   Amendments under point I ‘Legislative requirements’







—


The word ‘national’ has been deleted from the heading.
Justification: under Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the legislative requirements applying to the product or its quality are both national and Community.










—


The legislation applicable to the product is updated.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006


on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs
 (3)


‘ANTEQUERA’


EC No: ES-PDO-0105-0327-06.09.2011


PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1.   Title

‘Antequera’
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Product type







Class 1.5.


Oils and fats (butter, margarine, oil, etc.)




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

Extra virgin olive oil, obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europea L.), using exclusively physical or mechanical procedures at a temperature that does not affect the natural chemical composition of the oil, thus preserving the taste, aroma and characteristics of the fruit from which it is produced.
As regards their organoleptic properties, these oils have the fruitiness of green olives, other ripe fruits, almond, banana and green grass in intensities ranging from medium to high. They also present light to medium levels of bitterness and spiciness, perfectly complementing other, slightly sweet tastes.
The oils covered by the ‘Antequera’ Protected Designation of Origin must be extra virgin olive oils and have the following properties:






Physical/chemical properties


 




Acidity (%)


Maximum 0,3




Peroxide value (meq oxygen per kg of oil)


Maximum 10




K270 (absorbency 270 nm)


Maximum 0,15




Organoleptic characteristics






Median for fruitiness


at least 4




Median for defects


0




3.3.   Raw materials (for processed products only)

Extra virgin olive oil, obtained from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europea L.) of the Hojiblanca variety, with the possible addition of minority varieties such as Picual or Marteño, Arbequina, Picudo, Lechín de Sevilla or Zorzaleño, Picudo, Gordal de Archidona, Verdial de Vélez Málaga and Verdial de Huévar.
The Hojiblanca variety is the main, majority, variety, since it accounts for 90 % of the land under olives in the area. The other varieties are considered to be secondary varieties and are less widely grown in the area. The Hojiblanca and Gordal de Archidona varieties are considered to be of local origin.
3.4.   Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—
3.5.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The olives used to obtain the product are approved varieties from registered olive groves located within the production area.
The oil must be extracted in registered mills located within the production area that meet the conditions laid down.
Production is divided into the following phases: cleaning, washing and weighing the olives, beating the pomace, separating solids and liquids by continuous centrifugation, separating liquids by continuous centrifugation, decanting and storing.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

The oil is packaged in dark glass containers, metal containers lined with a food-grade material or ceramic food-grade containers, which maintain the physical/chemical and organoleptic properties of the oil for longer, being inert materials that protect the product from light, which would increase the rate of oxidation of the oil.
3.7.   Specific rules concerning labelling

The commercial labels of each registered company must be checked by the Regulatory Board as regards the use of the Designation logo. Labels must bear the following wording: ‘Denominación de Origen Protegida Antequera’ or the logo of the Designation of Origin, and the Union symbol.
All packing in which the protected oil is shipped for consumption must bear a seal of warranty, lithograph, labels or secondary labels, which must be numbered and issued or checked by the Regulatory Board as regards the use of the Designation logo. These secondary labels must be affixed exclusively in the registered bottling plant in such a way that they cannot be reused.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area comprises the territories of the following municipalities in the Province of Málaga: Alameda, Almargen, Antequera, Archidona, Campillos, Cañete La Real, Cuevas Bajas, Cuevas de San Marcos, Fuente de Piedra, Humilladero, Mollina, Sierra de Yeguas, Teba, Villanueva de Algaidas, Villanueva del Rosario, Villanueva del Trabuco and Villanueva de Tapia, and the Municipality of Palenciana in the Province of Córdoba.
5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

The oils are produced in the natural area formed by the Antequera Depression, on the western edge of the Andalusian Intrabaetic depressions. In the north it borders the Provinces of Córdoba and Seville, in the west the Provinces of Seville and Cádiz and in the east that of Granada. Its southern limit is bounded by parts of the Subbaetic mountain range, which separate it from the Montes de Málaga, Hoyas in Valledel Guadalhorce and Serranía de Ronda, all districts of the Province of Málaga.
This area has particular geomorphological and climatic characteristics. It covers an area of depressions with smooth topography at an altitude of 400-600 m, surrounded by a series of mountain ranges to the north (the Subbaetic System) and south (the Penibaetic System) which give the area a micro-climate and soil conditions suitable for olive cultivation.
The olives are grown between 450 and 600 metres above sea level, on medium-depth, very limy soil (20-70 % carbonate of lime). What is more, because the surrounding area drains into the Antequera Depression, various levels of river terrace have developed, all bearing large quantities of tertiary deposits, including Middle Pliocene red clay, which provide the olive trees with plentiful amounts of potassium and have high levels of moisture retention, promoting vegetation in the olive trees, which is important given that more than 90 % of the plantation land is not irrigated. The Antequera area has a temperate to warm Mediterranean climate, with some continental characteristics due to its location in the Andalusian Intrabaetic depressions. This situation produces great contrasts in temperature between summer and winter and between night and day. Average temperatures during the coldest month (January or December) range from 6 °C to 9 °C. The hottest months are July and August, when average temperatures are between 22 °C and 27 °C.
5.2.   Specificity of the product

As regards its organoleptic properties, ‘Antequera’ PDO extra virgin olive oil presents medium to high intensities of green olive fruitiness, with a median of 4 or more, and a range of positive attributes of other ripe fruits, almonds, banana and green grass. The oils present light to medium levels of bitterness and spiciness, perfectly complementing other, slightly sweet tastes. As regard its physical/chemical properties, the product has low acidity (less than 0,3 %), a low peroxide content (less than 10) and low ultraviolet absorbency (K270) (less than 0,15).
It has a well-balanced fatty acid composition. Its oleic acid content is high at 78 to 81 % and it has medium levels of linoleic acid at 5 to 8 %. The ratio of mono-unsaturated to saturated fatty acids is high (between 11 and 15) and it has a medium value for the ratio of oleic to linoleic fatty acids (15 and 12), which gives the oil a lightness on the palate.
They are moderately stable oils thanks to their high concentrations of tocopherols. This makes Antequera oils rich in vitamin E.
The fraction of unsaponifiable matter of Antequera oils is notable for high levels of methyl sterols, more than 30 mg per 100 g of oil.
5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI)

The tolerance of the Hojiblanca indigenous variety to the limy soils of the geographical area, because of the tree's need to extract calcium from the soil, together with the area's Mediterranean climate, presenting continental characteristics due to its location in the Andalusian depression, with its cold, dry winters, means that this variety, harvested in the area's olive groves during the months of low temperatures, produces oils with the fruitiness of green olives, with a median of 4 or more, and a range of positive attributes of other ripe fruits, almonds, banana and green grass and light to medium levels of bitterness and spiciness. As regards their physical/chemical properties, the oils have low acidity (less than 0,3), a peroxide value of less than 10 and ultraviolet absorbency of less than 0,15.
The low temperatures in winter characteristic of the geographical area delay the ripening period of the Hojiblanca indigenous variety, altering the acid profile of the oils produced to give higher levels of oleic acid (between 78 and 81 %) and lower levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Reference to the publication of the specification

(Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (4))
The full text of the Product Specification is available at:
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal/export/sites/default/comun/galerias/galeriaDescargas/cap/industrias-agroalimentarias/denominacion-de-origen/Pliegos/PliegoAntequeramodificado.pdf
or via the homepage of the Government of Andalusia Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment (http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/portal), by following the navigation pathway: ‘Industrias Agroalimentarias’/‘Calidad y Promoción’/‘Denominaciones de Calidad’/‘Aceite de oliva virgen extra’, the specifications are located under the name of the Quality Designation.


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12. Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3)  Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(4)  See footnote 3.