Publication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication in the agricultural products and foodstuffs sector, as referred to in Article 6b(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 2023/C 275/15
Date: 2023-08-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Hauts-de-France, consumer information, designation of origin, fresh meat, labelling, poultrymeat, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_2023275EN.01003601.xml










4.8.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 275/36






Publication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication in the agricultural products and foodstuffs sector, as referred to in Article 6b(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014
(2023/C 275/15)
This communication is published in accordance with Article 6b(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).
COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION ORIGINATING IN A MEMBER STATE

(Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012)


‘Volailles de Licques’


EU No: PGI-FR-0162-AM01 - 11.5.2023


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product

‘Volailles de Licques’
2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

France
3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
—
4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

1.   Responsible department in the Member State:
The contact details of the National Institute for Quality and Origin (INAO), which is the competent authority of the Member State, have been added.
The amendment does not affect the single document.
2.   Applicant Group:
The contact details and legal form of QUALICNOR are provided.
The amendment affects the single document.
3.   Description of the product
For products covered by the PGI, the amendment provides for the production of the following additional species:






—


Poularde,










—


Guinea fowl capon




The applicant group has been producing these two species in the area for many years. The reputation of the poularde dates back to 1987, and the guinea fowl capon to 2010.
The section is supplemented by conformity criteria and an organoleptic description for each species.
Deep-freezing and the various possible forms of packaging have been added. Processors will be able to diversify their range of presentations in order to meet consumer expectations while ensuring product quality.
The amendment affects the single document.
4.   Geographical area
The amendment to the area is the result of administrative changes following the amalgamation of municipalities in the area defined in the current product specification.
These amendments do not affect the original geographical area.
The amendment affects the single document.
5.   Evidence that the product originates in the area
The following parts are added:






—


the ‘operators operating in the geographical area’ category;










—


the identification declaration to authorise operators before the start of the activity concerned;




a bottom-up and top-down traceability table.
The amendment does not affect the single document.
6.   Method of production
Subsection 5.2 ‘Strains used’
This subsection defines the criteria for selecting strains or hybrid strains.
All of the strains grow slowly, and are suited to outdoor rearing. Under the feeding and rearing conditions laid down in the specifications, the strains and hybrid strains used must enable the minimum carcass weight to be reached at the minimum slaughter age. A table summarising the phenotype for each species has also been added.
Subsection 5.3 ‘Rearing method’
Specific rules have been added for rearing capons and guinea fowl capons, whereby castration takes place no later than 63 days of age in the case of capons and no later than 91 days in the case of guinea fowl capons. During the fattening period capons are kept indoors from, at the earliest, the 125th day of rearing and for up to four weeks. A lighting pattern must be set up in poultry houses.
Subsection 5.4 ‘Nutrition’
The percentage of cereals decreases from 75 % by weight of the feed formula to 70 %.
A list of raw materials that the supplied feed may contain has been added.
Subsection 5.5 ‘Poultry houses and runs’
The description of the runs is not included in the product specification currently in force. Runs must, as a rule, be tree-lined. Details are given of the planting of the areas (type and number of trees). A minimum run area per bird is provided for each species, the latter being changed from the date of partial removal for poulardes and capons. A fallowing period which must be observed between each batch and an obligation to maintain runs have been added.
As regards guinea fowl, specific criteria have been added concerning the installation of an outside aviary and perches in the poultry houses.
Criteria for indoor rearing are also laid down. As a rule, for all poultry, single-batch rearing takes place in a fixed or mobile poultry house. Each poultry house must be no more than 400 m2 in the case of fixed housings and 150 m2 in the case of mobile housings. To complete the section, there is a table showing the maximum density of animals per building:
Sub-section 5.6. ‘Minimum duration of fallowing in poultry houses’
An obligation has been added whereby as soon as the poultry leaves the holding, cleaning and disinfection must take place and there must be a period of fallowing.
Subsection 5.7 ‘Condition for removal, transport and slaughter’
An obligation has been added whereby the poultry’s feed is withdrawn at least five hours prior to their removal.
An obligation has been added whereby transport time must not exceed three hours. A recovery period of 30 minutes at the slaughterhouse has also been laid down.
The amendment affects the single document.
7.   Link
The section entitled ‘Link with the geographical area’ of the current product specification has been comprehensively revised. It has been reorganised into three parts to distinguish the specific characteristics of the geographical area, the product and the causal link. The wording is more succinct and many illustrations and historical references have been deleted.
The amendment affects the single document.
8.   Labelling
The current paragraph is deleted and replaced by a sentence describing the mandatory elements.
The amendment affects the single document.
9.   Inspection body
The contact details of the authorities responsible for inspections at national level are now provided, i.e.: the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) and the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). The name and contact details of the certification body can be consulted via the website of the INAO and the European Commission’s database.
The amendment affects the single document.
10.   National requirements
The section takes the form of a table of the main points to be checked and their means of evaluation.
The amendment affects the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

Volailles de Licques


EU No: PGI-FR-0162-AM01 - 11.5.2023


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

Volailles de Licques
2.   Member State or Third Country

France
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product [as in Annex XI]

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal
3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Volailles de Licques’ are birds of the Galliformes order. They are from robust, slow-growing strains allowing a long rearing period and slaughter just before sexual maturity.
Features of ‘Volailles de Licques’:






—


good conformation;










—


well-fattened, meaty carcasses, firm flesh;










—


good muscle development of the breast and thighs.




‘Volailles de Licques’ includes the following animal types:
Chicken: reared for at least 81 days. The minimum carcass weight is 1,3 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 0,95kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ without giblets, oven ready.
Guinea fowl: reared for at least 94 days. The minimum carcass weight is 1,1 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 0,85 kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ i.e. without giblets, oven ready.
Turkey: reared for at least 140 days. The minimum carcass weight is 2,7 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 2,3 kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ i.e. without giblets, oven ready.
Capon: reared for at least 150 days. The minimum carcass weight is 2,9 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 2,5 kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ i.e. without giblets, oven ready.
Poularde: reared for at least 120 days. The minimum carcass weight is 1,95 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 1,65 kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ i.e. without giblets, oven ready.
Guinea fowl capon: reared for at least 150 days. The minimum carcass weight is 1,80 kg when presented ‘gutted’ and 1,40 kg when presented ‘eviscerated’ i.e. without giblets, oven ready.
‘Volailles de Licques’ is sold as carcasses or in the form of cuts, fresh or deep-frozen (except where gutted). The carcasses must meet the criteria for Class A presentation. Cuts must comply with the Class A presentation criteria and must come from carcasses that comply with the minimum oven-ready weight. Volailles de Licques are sold unpackaged or film-wrapped, vacuum-packed or in modified-atmosphere packaging.
They are presented as follows:






—


‘oven ready’;










—


‘gutted’;










—


in the form of cuts.




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

The feed provided must contain at least 70 % cereals and derived products at the fattening stage, calculated as a weighted average.
The proportion of cereal-derived products shall not exceed 15 % by weight of the total feed formula.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

Rearing of poultry starting from the introduction of young animals.
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 labelling includes the name ‘Volailles de Licques’ and the European Union PGI symbol in the same field of vision.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area is located entirely in the département (region) of Pas de Calais and comprises the following administrative entities:
the whole arrondissements (districts) of: Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais, Montreuil and Saint-Omer
and the whole communes (municipalities) of: Anvin, Aubrometz, Auchy-au-Bois, Aumerval, Auxi-le-Château, Bailleul-lès-Pernes, Beauvoir-Wavans, Bergueneuse, Blessy, Boffles, Bonnières, Boubers-sur-Canche, Bourecq, Bouret-sur-Canche, Bours, Boyaval, Buire-au-Bois, Conchy-sur-Canche, Conteville-en-Ternois, Eps, Equirre, Erin, Estrée-Blanche, Fiefs, Fleury, Floringhem, Fontaine-l'Etalon, Fontaine-lès-Boulans, Fontaine-lès-Hermans, Fortel-en-Artois, Frévent, Gennes-Ivergny, Ham-en-Artois, Haravesnes, Hestrus, Heuchin, Huclier, Isbergues, Lambres, Le Ponchel, Liettres, Ligny-lès-Aire, Ligny-sur-Canche, Linghem, Lisbourg, Marest, Mazinghem, Monchel-sur-Canche, Monchy-Cayeux, Nédon, Nédonchel, Noeux-lès-Auxi, Norrent-Fontes, Pernes, Prédefin, Pressy, Quoeux-Haut-Maînil, Quernes, Rely, Rombly, Rougefay, Sachin, Sains-lès-Pernes, Saint-Hilaire-Cottes, Tangry, Teneur, Tilly-Capelle, Tollent, Vacquerie-le-Boucq, Valhuon, Vaulx, Villers-l'Hôpital, Westrehem, Willencourt and Witternesse.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The link to the origin of the ‘Volaille de Licques’ PGI is based on natural and human factors in the area around [the village of] Licques, where the poultry production has certain characteristics on which its reputation has been built over time.
The geographical area occupies a large part of the département of Pas de Calais in northern France. The area is bordered to the west by the English Channel (from the border with the département of la Somme to the city of Calais) and the North Sea (from Calais to the département of Nord), and flows eastwards into farmland.
The area’s climate is oceanic. The temperature range is narrow, with mild winters and summers, sea breezes and regular rainfall (600 to 800 mm per year). The average annual temperature is around 11 °C.
The mild climate and the absence of dramatic temperature peaks means that the poultry are regularly outside.
The area has a varied topography, alternating between plateaux and valleys, with an altitude of between 0 and 200m above sea level. The agricultural and natural areas are diverse, with bocage (hedgerow landscape) and a large amount of pasture land. There is a major network of waterways, including the Rivers Authie, Canche, Ternoise, Liane, Scarpe, Lys and Aa.
The geographical area is characterised by its range of crops and livestock, and its traditions of rearing poultry and cultivating cereals are still widely upheld. These activities have shaped the diversity of the landscape, which alternates between natural areas, varied farmland and forests.
There are numerous outdoor grassy and wooded runs for the poultry to use.
‘Volailles de Licques’ are from robust, slow-growing strains allowing a long rearing period and slaughter just before sexual maturity. They are adapted to life in the open air, and have access to free-range runs in wooded pastures.
Features of ‘Volailles de Licques’:






—


good conformation,










—


well-fattened, meaty carcasses, firm flesh;










—


good muscle development of breast and thighs.




The mild climate and low altitude make the geographical area particularly suited to rearing poultry, especially on grassy runs. The oceanic nature of the climate, which includes regular rainfall, is conducive to the steady growth of grass and perennial plants on the runs. The narrow range and mildness of temperatures means that the poultry can go out on the runs throughout the year, and can therefore supplement their nutrition. These conditions are also conducive to regular cereal production, which historically forms the basis of poultry feed.
Breeders have adapted to changes in the environment, and so their know-how is based on:






—


the use of slow-growing strains;










—


being in control of when the birds go outside;










—


the use of cereal-based feed.




It is these traditional methods, still in use today, that lie at the heart of the reputation of ‘Volailles de Licques’.
The origins of the ‘Volailles de Licques’ can be traced back to the Abbaye de Licques [Abbey], which was established in 1051. In the 13th Century it was entrusted to Prémontré monks, who cleared the forests and developed poultry farming – including turkey, which was popular at the time and remains popular today – and cultivated cereals.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, 90 % of the population was made up of small farmers who produced what they consumed. Poultry enabled them to meet their families’ needs and to have barter currency. According to La vie agricole sous l'Ancien Régime dans le Nord de la France (Agricultural life in olden times in Northern France) by Albéric de Callone ‘if, in other countries, they killed in one year the number of capons, hens and chickens that we slaughter here in one day, one would be forgiven for fearing for the future of the species.’
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the rearing of ‘Volailles de Licques’ developed alongside the improvement in cereal crops (such as wheat and barley), which in turn helped improve the feed and therefore the quality of the meat. The reputation of ‘Volailles de Licques’ began to extend beyond the borders of the Pays de Licques, and even as far as England, as Jean Tribondeau highlighted in his farming monograph entitled ‘L’agriculture du Pas-de-Calais’ (Agriculture in Pas de Calais): ‘The rearing of turkey is not only held in high regard in the Boulonnais region, it is also the subject of a large amount of trade with England. ’
Even so, poultry production has retained its traditional, family character, which is based on the area's history of rearing.
From the 1950s onwards, structural changes in the rural environment have led to a gradual change in the method of rearing. The producers of ‘Volailles de Licques’ wanted to keep extensive livestock farming going. They met in 1965 under the auspices of the Licques Breeders’ Union with a view to maintaining traditional poultry production.
Nowadays, the production of ‘Volailles de Licques’ remains a source of diversification and additional revenue for breeders.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-070fab1c-4223-4f7f-bacb-2218e19ecec7


(1)  OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.