Publication of an approved standard amendment to the 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
Date: 2025-04-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Galicia, Spain, beef, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202502111EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/2111


2.4.2025






Publication of an approved standard amendment to the 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
(C/2025/2111)

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


                     ‘Ternera Gallega’
                  


EU No: PGI-ES-0012-AM04 – 15 October 2024
                  


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name of product


               ‘Ternera Gallega’
            
2.   Member State to which the geographical area belongs

Spain
3.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment


Axencia Galega da Calidade Alimentaria [Galician Food Quality Agency] (Agacal)
4.   Description of the approved amendment(s)

Explanation as to why the amendment(s) falls/fall under the definition of a standard amendment:
All the proposed amendments to the specification of Ternera Gallega PGI are considered to be standard as they do not affect the product name or the link between the product and the territory, nor do they entail any restrictions on trade.








1.


Specific conditions for animal production
The amendment affects Section (E), ‘Method of production’, of the product specification.
Specific rules have been added on the feeding and handling of calves on farms that have opted to use extensive or semi-intensive farming methods.
The livestock’s feed is required to be supplemented with concentrates and fodder (finishing), meaning the animals must have access to mobile hoppers or feeders spread out across the meadows. Also, when the animals are to be slaughtered at an age of more than 8 months, they must be grouped together or stabled in covered enclosures for at least 2 months to protect them from inclement weather. A transitional period of 2 years is laid down for this last requirement as some farms may have to build or adapt their stables.
The following text has been added:

                  ‘In extensive and semi-extensive farming systems, the animals’ feed must be supplemented and the calves fattened or finished for a period of at least 2 months before slaughter. Selective mobile hoppers or feeders supplying fodder, cereals and concentrated feed must therefore be spread out across the meadows in such a way that the animals have easy access to them.
In these farming systems, calves to be slaughtered aged 8 months or older must be grouped together or stabled in covered enclosures protecting them from inclement weather, with unlimited access to cereals and/or concentrates, during the finishing stage.
During a transitional period of no more than 2 years, calves may be kept in meadows, where they must have access to selective mobile hoppers or feeders, during the finishing stage. In fattening holdings the feed must be based on fodder and authorised concentrated feed.’
               
The amendment does not affect the single document.












2.


Introduction of animal welfare rules
This amendment affects Section (E) of the product specification.
Current legislation requires livestock farming practices to foster environmental protection, farm sustainability and animal welfare.
At the rearing and fattening stages, it must be ensured that the calves are clean and have enough space to move in line with hygiene and health requirements. Yards and resting places must be in a good condition, the pen floor must not be slippery or rough and the floor slope must not exceed 5 %.
To avoid stable overcrowding, the number of animals must be limited to 40 per batch where the floor area per calf aged more than 6 months is at least 2,2 m2, or to 60 per batch where the floor area per calf is at least 4 m2.
The stables must have appropriate ventilation and layout to meet air quality, temperature and indoor lighting requirements. The concentration of NH3 measured 1 metre above ground must not exceed 20 ppm, the indoor temperature must lie within the 0 °C - 35 °C range, and the calves must have light exposure for at least 8 hours per day.
The calves should be allowed to graze and have access to fodder and clean water. The length of the feeders must be at least 15 centimetres for each calf older than 6 months, and there must be at least one drinking trough for every 15 calves.
It must be checked daily that the stables are in a good condition and that the calves are healthy, showing no signs of injury or abnormal behaviour linked to poor animal welfare such as dispersion, aggressiveness, fear, erratic movements, stress or rejecting people’s presence.
The amendment does not affect the single document.












3.


Introduction of the possibility of freezing meat without losing the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI certification when the meat is to be exported to countries outside the EU
This amendment affects Section (E), ‘Method of production’, of the product specification and point 3.5 of the single document.
In the case of meat to be exported to countries outside the EU, with the exception of Andorra and the territory of Gibraltar, the meat can be frozen without losing the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI certification. Under the specification currently in force, meat that had undergone freezing at any point could not be marketed as ‘Ternera Gallega’.
The following has been added:

                  ‘Pieces of meat that undergo freezing will no longer qualify for the PGI unless they are to be exported to countries outside the EU (Andorra and the territory of Gibraltar are not covered by this exception).’
               
This amendment affects the single document.












4.


Possibility of using the PGI for ingredients
This amendment mainly affects Section (E) of the product specification.
It specifies on which terms the ‘Ternera Gallega’ PGI name may be used for meat used as an ingredient in other processed products and how this should be stated on the labelling to inform consumers. Specifically, it clarifies that where the meat has undergone preservation processes such as drying, salting or freezing, the PGI name may still be used on the product labelling to indicate the ingredient in question.
The amendment does not affect the single document.












5.


Amendment regarding the inspection body
This amendment concerns Section (G), ‘Inspection body’, of the product specification. It is simply an update of information relating to the regulatory board, which is in the process of changing its name to ‘Consejo Regulador de las indicaciones geográficas protegidas Ternera Gallega y Vaca Gallega - Buey Gallego’ [Regulatory Board for the protected geographical indications Ternera Gallega and Vaca Gallega – Buey Gallego]; also, its main office has moved to a new address with a different postal code, and standard EN 45011 is replaced by ISO 17065, the international standard currently applicable to bodies certifying products.
The amendment does not affect the single document.




SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘Ternera Gallega’
                  


EU No: PGI-ES-0012-AM04 – 15 October 2024
                  


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) (of PDO or PGI)


               ‘Ternera Gallega’
            
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code







—


02 - MEAT AND EDIBLE MEAT OFFAL




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

Fresh meat and offal from cattle from the Galician blond and Galician brown breeds and their crosses and also cattle crossed with the following beef breeds: Asturiana de los Valles, Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine. Males of any of those breeds crossed with heifers of the Friesian and Brown Swiss breeds are also suitable.
A distinction is made between the following types of animals on the basis of their age, feed and the system of production before slaughter:






(a)


‘Ternera Gallega’: calves taken from their mothers at different ages and slaughtered before they reach the age of 12 months, whose feed is made up mainly of fodder and concentrates authorised by the Regulatory Board;










(b)


‘Ternera Gallega Suprema’: animals reared on farms with their mothers and fed on their mother’s milk for no less than 7 months, intended to be slaughtered before the age of 10 months;










(c)


‘Añojo’ [yearling]: animals slaughtered after they have reached the age of 12 months but before the age of 18 months.




Each of these types of animals has its own marketing category of the same name, with the following organoleptic, conformation and fat-content characteristics:






(a)


‘Ternera Gallega Suprema’: Meat with a light pink to red colour with fat that varies from a pearly-white colour to a soft yellow with a creamy texture. The muscles contain fine fibres and have a firm consistency.






—


Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R, O+. Where the carcasses are from cattle of the Galician brown breed this will not apply.










—


Fat cover for conformations S, E, U: males 1, 2, 3; females 1, 2, 3, 4;










—


Fat cover for conformations R, O+: males 2, 3; females 2, 3, 4;














(b)


‘Ternera Gallega’: meat with a pink to delicate red colour with evenly distributed fat of a pearly-white colour; The muscles contain fine fibres and have a firm consistency.






—


Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R, O+. Where the carcasses are from cattle of the Galician brown breed this will not apply.










—


Fat cover for conformations S, E, U: males 1, 2, 3; females 1, 2, 3, 4;










—


Fat cover for conformations R, O+: males 2, 3; females 2, 3, 4.














(c)


‘Añojo’: meat with a colour varying from a delicate to a deep red with pearly-white fat that has a delicate yellow tinge. The muscle has a firm, lean consistency.






—


Carcass conformation: S, E, U, R;










—


Fat cover for conformations S, E, U: 1, 2, 3 and 4;










—


Fat cover for conformation R: 2, 3, 4.








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

In the case of traditional farms, the basis of the feed will be the mother’s milk, which can be supplemented by cereals (mainly maize), potatoes, turnips, fodder and concentrated feed. In the case of production holdings, the feed will be based on fodder and concentrated feed.
At all events, the concentrated feed used must be of plant origin and be composed of raw materials commonly used in Galician cattle farming, from the following groups:






—


cereals and their derivatives;










—


oilseeds and their derivatives;










—


pulses and their derivatives;










—


tubers, roots and their derivatives;










—


fodder;










—


other plants and their derivatives;










—


minerals;










—


various (bread products and by-products and similar).




Cereals make up most of the feed and the following percentages must be complied with as regards the total weight of the feed: a minimum of 60 % of exclusively cereal grain, or a minimum of 65 % of cereal grain and derivatives.
In the case of concentrated feed intended for very young animals, these percentages can be reduced by 5 percentage points.
The use of products that could interfere with the animals' normal rate of growth and development, as well as the use of recycled animal derivatives, is expressly forbidden.
In order to monitor the feed, feed producers will conclude an agreement with the Regulatory Board for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Ternera Gallega’.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

The birth, rearing, fattening and slaughter of the animals and the cutting of the carcasses must take place in the defined geographical area in order to preserve the specific nature of the product and to control production conditions and traceability.
All operators involved in the production and processing must be registered with the Regulatory Board for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Ternera Gallega’. The registers cover the following: cattle farms, fattening farms, slaughterhouses and cutting plants and meat wholesalers and retailers.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Certified carcasses may be placed on the retail market on the day following slaughter at the earliest.
Carcasses, quarters or certified pieces of meat that are frozen will no longer qualify for the protected geographical indication (PGI) unless they are to be exported to countries outside the EU (with the exception of Andorra and the territory of Gibraltar).
The cutting of meat and the preparation of the pieces covered by the PGI must not be carried out at the same time as for meat not covered by the protected geographical indication.
Certified meat may be filleted, packaged and labelled on industrial premises registered with the Regulatory Board and also in specific establishments that have first entered into a collaboration agreement with the Board covering the control, labelling and marketing of the meat.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

All the carcases, pieces and portions will be labelled for purposes of identification and traceability. These are attached to the product in each of the stages of production (slaughter, cutting and/or filleting). They have different colours according to the product type mentioned in Section 3.2 of the product description and contain the compulsory indications and also the following: the name and logo of ‘Ternera Gallega’, the European PGI logo and traceability information. Aside from the labels, each half-carcass will be provided with a document giving information on the farm of origin, its identification and animal type, age at slaughter, classification and carcass weight, slaughterhouse and date of slaughter.





4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The ‘Ternera Gallega’ protected geographical indication applies to the entire region of Galicia.
5.   Link with the geographical area

5.1.   Specificity of the geographical area

The land of Galicia contains rounded hills and an extensive river system. This, together with the Atlantic climate, plentiful rainfall and mild temperatures, helps produce a significant amount of forage and crops. The land’s productive capacity favoured the development of extensive cattle rearing in the region and the creation of a large production and processing industry in which beef plays a particularly central role.
This livestock activity has historically been founded on family farms in which traditional know-how as regards rearing techniques, feed and stock management were passed on from one generation to the next.
5.2.   Specificity of the product

The presence of breeds suitable for beef production, including the Galician blond in particular, originally a ‘triple-use’ breed but with beef production predominating, has been at the heart of a productive system of typically small farms which make use of their own resources: milk, fodder, agricultural crops such as cereals (mainly maize), potatoes, turnips, etc.
Historically, animals have been slaughtered in Galicia before they reach the age of 10 months. This means that they have a low carcass weight and their meat has very distinctive organoleptic characteristics as regards tenderness, colour, texture and succulence. A large number of calves have a diet in which their mother’s milk is the principal element. This adds certain nuances to the characteristics mentioned in connection with the appearance of the meat (e.g. fat colour and a creamy texture) and its taste. These animals and their meat are classed as ‘suprema’ within the PGI. To a lesser extent, Galicia also produces meat from older animals which are reared on family farms as well. This production is based on better exploiting the genetic capacity of these breeds of cattle and greater use of forage-type feed (stores of maize and cereals). The meat from such animals is distinguished by its more intense colour and taste and greater consistency.
5.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDOs) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product (for PGIs)

The inhabitants of Galicia have used cattle as a source of meat and fat since ancient times. The cattle were typically rustic, small and adapted to the mountains. However, following the introduction of potatoes and maize from the Americas, they became fatter and could be used for work on farms as well as in meat and milk production. The cattle’s versatility was a key reason why land ownership became more widespread, since the cattle not only provided families with food but also made them a profit that could be used to buy land.
In the 18th century, Galician cattle were very important as regards meat exports to England, a practice that continued until the beginning of the 20th century. Later, and until near the end of the 1960s, Galicia provided beef to much of Spain. Today it is the most important farming activity from a social perspective and in terms of preventing people from moving away from rural areas.

                  ‘Ternera Gallega’ is produced on family farms that respect the local cattle-rearing traditions and the history behind them and consistently put quality first. These are farms in which a special symbiosis exists between cow, calf and environment, under the care and expertise of the Galician cattle farmers who continue to use farming methods passed on through generations for centuries. The methods are based on using the resources available on the farm itself and on a specific way of caring for the animals, which are central to the story and participate fully in it. The resulting agricultural products have always been of exceptional quality, earning the meat a great reputation on the Spanish market.

Reference to publication of the product specification


https://agacal.xunta.gal/sites/default/files/calidade-alimentaria/produtos-carnicos/PC_Ternera_Gallega_Enero_2024_ES.pdf



(1)  
            OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/2111/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)