Publication of an application for approval of minor amendments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Date: 2017-08-02
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: France, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, bulb vegetable, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, smoked product








C_2017251EN.01002801.xml










2.8.2017   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 251/28





Publication of an application for approval of minor amendments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
(2017/C 251/09)
The European Commission has approved this minor amendments application in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).
APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF MINOR AMENDMENTS

Application for approval of minor amendments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council
 (2)


‘AIL FUMÉ D’ARLEUX’


EU No: PGI-FR-0820-AM01 — 11.4.2017


PDO ( ) PGI ( X ) TSG ( )

1.   Applicant group and legitimate interest








Name


:


‘Groupement des Producteurs d’Ail fumé d’Arleux’ (Group of producers of smoked garlic from Arleux)




Address


:







Mairie d’Arleux




Place du Général De Gaulle




59 151 Arleux




FRANCE








Email


:


mairie@arleux.com




Composition


:


The group consists of producers of the ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ smoked garlic from Arleux. It therefore has a legitimate right to propose the amendment.




2.   Member State or Third Country

France
3.   Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)








—


☐


Product description




—


☒


Proof of origin




—


☒


Method of production




—


☐


Link




—


☒


Labelling




—


☒


Other: Product description, updated contact details, causal link, inspection body, national requirements




4.   Type of amendment(s)








—


☐


Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, that requires no amendment to the published single document.




—


☒


Amendment to product specification of registered PDO or PGI to be qualified as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and requiring an amendment to the published single document.




—


☐


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




—


☐


Amendment to product specification of registered TSG to be qualified as minor in accordance with the fourth subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.




5.   Amendment(s)


Heading ‘Proof of origin’

Addition of a paragraph stating that every operator involved in the production of the PGI ‘is required to identify themselves to the group for its authorisation which should predate the start of the activity in question’.
This provision, which is already in force, improves product traceability.

Heading ‘Description of the method of production’

—   Planting:
The sentence: ‘The seedlings bought for planting must be CE quality (seedlings inspected in accordance with European standards) or certified, with at least 25 % of the seedlings certified.’ is replaced by the sentence:

‘The seedlings bought for planting shall be CE quality (seedlings inspected in accordance with European standards) or certified.’

In addition, the sentence ‘Given that the objective of the group is to promote the Gayant variety because of its long shelf life, but that to date the production of certified Gayant seedlings has been insufficient to meet demand, the minimum level of certified seedlings is set at 25 %.’ is deleted.
These amendments are intended to remove the requirement for at least 25 % of the seedlings used to be certified. The setting of a minimum percentage of certified seedlings in the current product specification reflected the group’s intention to develop the production of certified seedlings from the regional variety Gayant. It transpires that the production of certified seedlings, including those of the Gayant variety, has not developed in such a way as to ensure a stable supply of 25 %. The producers must therefore be able to buy and use seedlings which are of CE quality or certified, or must be able to produce them themselves from seedlings of CE quality or certified seedlings bought the previous year.
This provision does not call into question the product description or the link with the geographical area, as the quality of the CE seedlings is now equivalent to that of certified seedlings.
The sentence: ‘The time between breaking apart the cloves and planting them must not exceed 8 days.’ is replaced by the sentence: ‘The time between breaking apart the cloves and planting them must not exceed 15 days.’
This amendment is justified by taking into account sometimes unfavourable weather conditions which may cause delays in preparing the soil for planting. Extending this period allows the garlic to be planted at the optimum time.
—   Growing phase of the plants:
The sentence: ‘There is no further treatment in the three weeks before the harvest.’ is deleted, because there is a regulatory deadline of 14 days, which is ample to guarantee that the tops are in a condition similar to that obtained when the treatment is stopped three weeks before the harvest. Although as a general rule there should no longer be any treatment three weeks before the harvest, depending on weather conditions, a treatment may prove necessary to prevent fungal diseases such as rot.
The sentence ‘The sprayer is checked every three years’ is deleted, because this is a requirement under the general rules.

Heading ‘Labelling’

The requirement for the label to bear the name of the PGI and the European Union logo is deleted, because this now falls under the general rules.
The single document is amended accordingly.

Heading ‘Other’

—   Neatening of the specifications:
Inappropriate or unnecessary words (‘human’ in the expression ‘human know-how’, ‘traditional’ in the expression ‘traditional garlic’) have been deleted, a table about the product’s appearances has been moved, and, in the ‘causal link’ section, paragraphs and paragraph headings have been deleted. The bibliography and the annexes that do not contain binding provisions have been deleted.
These amendments are intended to make the text of the specifications more consistent, with the single document in particular. They have no impact on the product and the causal link.
—   Responsible department in the Member State:
The contact details of the national quality and origin institute, the Institut national de la qualité et de l’origine — INAO, have been added as a competent authority of the Member State in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.
—   Inspection body:
The contact details of the inspection body have been replaced with those of the competent authority for control. This amendment aims to prevent changes being made to the specification in the event that the inspection body changes.
6.   Updated product specification (only for PDO and PGI)

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-e9d4946c-169e-4eda-84af-bfe12271b428/telechargement
SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘AIL FUMÉ D’ARLEUX’


EU No: PGI-FR-0820-AM01 — 11.4.2017


PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1.   Name(s)

‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’
2.   Member State or Third Country

France
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 the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ is a garlic that keeps for a considerable period of time owing to a traditional method and know-how involving braiding the garlic and smoking it using local peat and/or lignite and/or short straw and/or sawdust.
‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ is made from pink spring garlic (Allium sativum, a member of the lily family), of the ‘Ail du Nord’ type. It is characterised by a long dormant period, medium-size bulbs and the absence of a floral stalk and it is adapted to the climate and closely connected with the history of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. The absence of a floral stalk enables the garlic to be plaited into the typical braids, as the foliage is supple enough to allow this. The varieties used are Ail du Nord, Gayant and Arno. New varieties may be introduced, provided that they meet the abovementioned criteria. After each amendment, the list of varieties is distributed to producers as well as to the inspection body and the competent supervisory authorities. When harvested the bulb is of medium size (varying between 40 and 80 mm depending on the way it is presented) and white in colour, while the external tunic of the cloves is dark pink.
‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ is traditionally presented in the form of a braid, with the number of heads ranging from 10 to 90 or even 120. It can also be presented as a braid with 3 heads. The braiding is based on a process where the garlic heads are dried with the foliage, either in the field or by forced ventilation in a shed. The garlic is braided by hand, just like hair is.
After it has been braided the garlic is smoked in a smokeroom for at least 7 days. The colour of the garlic after smoking varies depending on the materials used. The shades range from a light reddish brown to dark brown. The smoked braids may be packaged in a net before marketing.
‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ has the following characteristics:






—


A pleasant smoky aroma.










—


Uniform colour over the surface of the braid, the intensity of which is validated according to a defined reference colour.




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 defined geographical area

All the steps in cultivation, braiding, and smoking must take place in the defined geographical area.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The garlic may be packaged in a net after smoking. This must be done in the defined geographical area in order to minimise handling of the product. ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ is a fragile product (smoking renders the external tunics and the stems more fragile so that they break easily), and therefore handling and transport must be limited. Packaging in the defined geographical area makes it possible to preserve the physical integrity of the product and the braids.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

In addition to the regulatory requirements, every label must include the batch number, to ensure product traceability.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area is made up of 35 municipalities in the department of Nord and 27 municipalities in the department of Pas-de-Calais.
Department of Nord:
Arleux, Aubencheul au Bac, Aubigny au Bac, Bruille lez Marchiennes, Brunemont, Bugnicourt, Cantin, Courchelettes, Cuincy, Dechy, Ecaillon, Erchin, Esquerchin, Estrées, Fechain, Ferin, Flers-en-Escrebieux, Fressain, Fressies, Goeulzin, Guesnain, Hamel, Haynecourt, Hem Lenglet, Lambres lez Douai, Lauwin Planque, Lecluse, Lewarde, Loffre, Marcq en Ostrevant, Marquette en Ostrevant, Masny, Monchecourt, Roucourt, Villers au tertre.
Department of Pas-de-Calais:
Baralle, Bellonne, Brebières, Buissy, Cagnicourt, Corbehem, Dury, Ecourt Saint Quentin, Epinoy, Gouy sous Bellonne, Hendecourt les Cagnicourt, Marquion, Noyelles sous Bellonne, Oisy le Verger, Palluel, Quiery La Motte, Recourt, Riencourt les Cagnicourt, Rumaucourt, Sailly en Ostrevent, Sains les Marquion, Sauchy Cauchy, Sauchy Lestrée, Saudemont, Tortequesne, Villers les Cagnicourt, Vitry en Artois.
5.   Link with the geographical area


Specificity of the geographical area

The most representative soils of the Cambrésis region derive from a variety of parent materials: loess silts, Tertiary clays and, to a lesser extent, mainly sandy materials derived from Tertiary formations, chalk and riverwash.
‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ is grown in the geographical area where the soil type ranges from loamy to loamy-clayey with a maximum clay content of 30 %.
The area has a temperate climate, with temperatures that are relatively stable from one year to the next. The minimum temperatures are temperate (there are but few days where temperatures fall below zero) and the maximum temperatures rarely exceed 30 °C. Also, the difference between night-time and daytime temperatures is small.
Rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year and the total annual rainfall is around 650 mm (average over the past 30 years).
Arleux is located in a valley surrounded by meadows, rivers and swamps.
The Sensée Valley ‘traces a long green path’ between the two bare plateaus of Douaisis and Cambrésis.
The Sensée is fed by secondary tributaries, including the Agache and the Hirondelle, and passes through swamps and ponds before flowing into the Canal du Nord.
The swamps of the Sensée Valley cover nearly 800 hectares, where alluvia and peat have been deposited.
The many mills and locks that used to exist in the valley have helped maintain the water level of the swamps, while the extraction of peat, used as a fuel before coal was introduced on a massive scale, gave rise to the ponds.

Specificity of the product

The specificity of the product derives from specific expertise: smoking, and on the distinctive quality conferred by the smoking and the presentation in the form of braids and, finally, on a long-standing reputation that lives on to this day.
Traditional smoking is carried out by burning a mixture of peat, sawdust and short straw. Nowadays lignite is added to this mixture, as peat can no longer be used sustainably and it has the same combustion properties. Garlic cultivation developed in the heart of the Arleux region because of the presence of peat and the method of smoking. Arleux is a region where garlic is smoked in the traditional way.
Smoking gives ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ a uniform colour over the surface of the braid, ranging from a light reddish brown to dark brown, and a pleasant smoky aroma. It also enhances preservation. The use of varieties such as ‘Ail du Nord’, which have no floral stalk, means that the garlic can be braided. Originally the garlic was braided so that it could be hung in the smokeroom and sold more easily. Nowadays this form of presentation is appreciated because it is practical and attractive.
The production of ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ was included in the department’s statistics for the first time in 1804. In the 19th century the product won first prize on a number of occasions at agricultural competitions and fairs. In the 20th century cultivation intensified and farmers promoted the product through door-to-door sales. The reputation of ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ spread beyond its production area.
Today the Garlic Fair held in Arleux is the main event for reinforcing the product’s reputation. The fair was held for the first time in 1962, and in recent years the event has attracted a growing number of visitors and has helped to enhance the product’s reputation in the press and among visitors.

Causal link

In a region where the climatic and soil conditions are suitable for growing garlic (light, low-humus soils that dry and warm easily and have little gravel as well as a temperate climate with small differences of temperature and evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year), the tradition of smoking it arose because of the presence of peat.
Peat was used as fuel for heating but also, very early on, for smoking garlic. Indeed, the area’s climate is such that the garlic cannot be dried satisfactorily. Smoking the garlic will dry it and, consequently, preserve it by preventing the development of mould. Smoking also gives the product a reddish colour and a very characteristic aroma. Garlic producers also smoke garlic using other materials that are typical of the region.
The garlic is braided so that it is easier to hang in the smokerooms. The braiding and smoking are closely linked and constitute the expertise required to produce ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’. With the arrival of draught horses (ploughing) and, in particular, mechanisation, garlic could no longer be cultivated in these swampy areas. Consequently garlic started being grown on land located farther and farther away from peatland.
Short straw is collected when wheat is threshed on farms that use old-fashioned threshers. However, such farms are increasingly scarce, and they thresh small areas. Nowadays only a few farms can provide short straw to garlic producers, because modern farm machinery discharges it into the fields during harvesting. A number of these traditional farms can be found in Béthunois. They produce straw for the Haras national stud farms and the big racing stables in the Paris region (Vincennes, Chantilly), which require a specific quality of straw for their horses. As for sawdust, producers prefer to be supplied regionally. The forest in Nord-Pas-de-Calais is mainly composed of non-coniferous species (93 %), in particular oak, beech and ash. Wood from these species is particularly suitable for smoking garlic.
The producers of ‘Ail fumé d’Arleux’ have thus, through the practice of braiding the garlic and through a specific smoking method (originally using peat and more recently with one or several other types of fuel), been able to build up a solid reputation for their product, as still attested today by the success of the Garlic Fair.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)
https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-e9d4946c-169e-4eda-84af-bfe12271b428/telechargement


(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.

(2)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.