Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27
Date: 2025-12-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: County of Zadar, Croatia, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, salt








C_202506455EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/6455


4.12.2025






Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)

(C/2025/6455)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT
(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)


                     ‘Paška sol’
                  


EU reference number: PDO-HR-02178-AM01 – 3.9.2025
                  

1.   Name of product


               ‘Paška sol’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







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PGI










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PDO










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GI




3.   Sector







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Agricultural products










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Wines










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Spirit drinks




4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Croatia
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment


Name(s)

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The amendment to the product specification does not include a change to the name of the protected geographical indication or to the use of that name. There is no risk of voiding the link to the defined geographical area of production, nor does the amendment entail any additional restrictions on the marketing of the product.
7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)


Heading

1.   Standard amendment of point 2.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 1
This amendment relates to the heading of the point.
The heading ‘Paška sol – fine sea salt’
                     
has been replaced by:

                        ‘Paška sol – sea salt’.
Description: The word ‘fine’ has been deleted from the heading.
Justification: The heading has been modified in line with changes relating to the removal of a prescribed granulation for the salt. This amendment has been made because restrictions on the granulation of the salt have been removed to allow the description of Paška sol to cover salt produced by both industrial and traditional methods. This adjustment of the terminology used in the product description does not affect the quality, origin or authenticity of the product.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

2.   Standard amendment of point 2.1.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 2
This amendment relates to the general definition of the product.
The text of point 2.1.1:


                           ‘The fine sea salt “Paška sol” is obtained from the sea water of Pag Bay on the island of Pag. It is produced by evaporating concentrated sea water in evaporation pools, where crystallisation in a closed system produces sea salt.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The sea salt “Paška sol” is obtained from the sea water of Pag Bay on the island of Pag. It is produced by evaporating concentrated sea water in evaporation pools, where crystallisation in salt pools or in a closed system produces sea salt.’
                        

Description: This amendment has incorporated an additional method of crystallising sea water, namely in salt pools.
Justification: Introducing the classic, i.e. traditional method of production allows ‘Paška sol’ to have a coarser granulation than that prescribed up until now. This does not change either its intrinsic quality or the authenticity of the product; rather, it broadens the range of ways in which it can be obtained, permitting greater flexibility and the preservation of traditional methods.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

3.   Standard amendment of point 2.1.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 3
This amendment relates to the description of the finished product.
The text and table under point 2.1.2:


                           ‘The fine sea salt “Paška sol” takes the form of small, regular, cube-shaped crystals which are white in colour and contain minerals and trace elements (Annex 1.1. Analytical reports). Most of the crystals are up to 1 mm in size, so that > 98 % of all crystals can pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 1,3 mm. It has a concentrated, salty, bitter-free taste.
Composition:






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 98,0




Water content (%)


< 0,40




Magnesium (%)


0,02-0,20




Calcium (%)


0,01-0,10




Potassium (%)


> 0,02




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,20




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,10




Granulation


The residue on a sieve with a diameter of 1,3 mm is < 2 %.’





has been replaced by:


                           ‘The sea salt “Paška sol” takes the form of regular, cube-shaped crystals which are white in colour and contain minerals and trace elements (Annex 1.1. Analytical reports). It has a concentrated, salty, bitter-free taste.
Composition:






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 97,0




Water content (%)


< 5,0




Magnesium (%)


> 0,02




Calcium (%)


> 0,01




Potassium (%)


> 0,02




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,20




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,10’





Description: this amendment has involved deleting the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’ and the word ‘small’ in front of the word ‘crystals’. It has also involved deleting the sentence ‘Most of the crystals are up to 1 mm in size, so that > 98 % of all crystals can pass through a sieve with a mesh size of 1,3 mm.’ This amendment has involved making changes to the values of the following parameters in the table: ‘Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)’, ‘Water content (%)’, ‘Magnesium (%)’, and ‘Calcium (%)’, and the parameter ‘Granulation’ has been deleted.
Justification: This amendment has been made to remove restrictions on the granulation of the product. This allows for a unified approach to be taken towards defining the product, irrespective of the method of crystallisation employed, whether it be industrial (involving use of a crystalliser) or traditional (involving the collection of crystals from a pool). The changes are exclusively terminological in nature and affect neither the intrinsic properties of the product nor its geographical and traditional authenticity; rather, they allow for increased flexibility and the preservation of various production methods under the same protected designation. The changes to the limits of the aforementioned parameters in the table were driven by the fact that the values for the minerals magnesium, potassium and calcium measured during the previous period were sometimes higher than those prescribed in the specification; this is actually desirable, as an increased proportion of these minerals has resulted in a lower proportion of sodium chloride without any harm being done to the organoleptic properties of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

4.   Standard amendment of point 2.2.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 4
This amendment relates to the general definition of the product.
The text of point 2.2.1:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” is a product of the initial phase of manufacture of fine sea salt, i.e. during the production of concentrated sea water.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” is a product of the initial phase of manufacture of sea salt, i.e. during the production of concentrated sea water.’
                        

Description: The amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made to take into account the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt owing to the inclusion of the classical (i.e. traditional) method of production.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

5.   Standard amendment of point 2.2.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 5
This amendment relates to the description of the finished product.
The text in the table under point 2.2.2:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” has a higher proportion of minerals in its composition. It has a slightly sweetish taste. Its texture is crunchy and very brittle. It is white to pale yellow in colour owing to high levels of minerals. It has a distinctive flavour, is less salty than cooking salt and contains more natural minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iodine). The granulation of the flower of salt “Paška sol” is coarser than that of the fine sea salt “Paška sol”; its crystals have the shape of flakes and they crumble easily when rubbed between the fingertips (Annex 1.2. Analytical reports).
Composition:






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 97,0




Water content (%)


< 2,00




Magnesium (%)


> 0,07




Calcium (%)


0,02-0,20




Potassium (%)


> 0,05




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,30




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,10’





has been replaced by:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” has a higher proportion of minerals in its composition. It has a slightly sweetish taste. Its texture is crunchy and very brittle. It is white to pale yellow in colour owing to high levels of minerals. It has a distinctive flavour, is less salty than cooking salt and contains more natural minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iodine). Its crystals have the shape of flakes and they crumble easily when rubbed between the fingertips. (Annex 1.2. Analytical reports).






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 92,0




Water content (%)


< 7,00




Magnesium (%)


> 0,07




Calcium (%)


> 0,02




Potassium (%)


> 0,05




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,30




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,10’





Description: This amendment involved deleting the part of the sentence ‘The granulation of the flower of salt “Paška sol” is coarser than that of the fine sea salt “Paška sol”;’ and the remainder of the sentence after the comma [sic] was joined to the previous sentence, at the end of which the full stop was deleted and a comma added [sic]. This amendment involved changes to the values of the following parameters in the table: ‘Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)’, ‘Water content (%)’ and ‘Calcium (%)’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt. The changes to the limits of the aforementioned parameters in the table were driven by the fact that the values for the minerals magnesium, potassium and calcium measured during the previous period were sometimes higher than those prescribed in the specification; this is actually desirable, as an increased proportion of these minerals has resulted in a lower proportion of sodium chloride without any harm being done to the organoleptic properties of the salt. It has transpired that, because of climate change, drying the flower of salt in the sun for a certain part of the day is no longer sufficient to achieve the requisite water content. For this reason, the water content has now been increased; this does not, however, affect the organoleptic properties of the flower of salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

6.   Standard amendment of point 4 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 6
This amendment relates to the proof of origin.
The text under point 4:

                        ‘Pursuant to the Resolution of the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the exploitation of mineral raw materials, Solana Pag has sole authorisation to exploit sea water from Pag Bay for the production of the fine sea salt and flower of salt “Paška sol”. Salt water from Pag Bay is the sole raw material used to produce “Paška sol”.’
                     
has been replaced by:


                           ‘Pursuant to the Resolution of the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the exploitation of mineral raw materials, Solana Pag has sole authorisation to exploit sea water from Pag Bay for the production of the sea salt and flower of salt “Paška sol”. Salt water from Pag Bay is the sole raw material used to produce “Paška sol”.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

7.   Standard amendment of point 4 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 7
This amendment relates to the proof of origin.
The text in point 4:

                        ‘The file “Operational data on industrial crystallisation” (Annex 4c) contains information on the concentration of the mother liquor, pressure and temperature in the vacuum evaporators, the quantity of fine sea salt “Paška sol” produced, the temperature in the drying chamber, the moisture content of the salt and other parameters used to check that the equipment is working in accordance with the given parameters. A file is also kept of all quantities of packaged “Paška sol” (Annex 4e).’
                     
has been replaced by:


                           ‘The file “Operational data on industrial crystallisation” (Annex 4c) contains information on the concentration of the mother liquor, pressure and temperature in the vacuum evaporators, the quantity of sea salt “Paška sol” produced, the temperature in the drying chamber, the moisture content of the salt and other parameters used to check that the equipment is working in accordance with the given parameters. A file is also kept of all quantities of packaged “Paška sol” (Annex 4e).’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

8.   Standard amendment of point 5.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 8
This amendment relates to the title.
The text in point 5.1:


                           ‘Method of production of the fine sea salt “Paška sol”
                           ’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘Method of production of the sea salt “Paška sol”
                           ’.

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

9.   Standard amendment of point 5.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 9
This amendment relates to the method of production of the sea salt ‘Paška sol’.
The text in point 5.1:


                           ‘In the first part of the process of producing “Paška sol”, sea water from Pag Bay pours continuously into a system of shallow and enclosed evaporation pools and is exposed to the effects of the sun and wind in the Pag salt pans. In the second part, saturated sea water is introduced into the vacuum evaporation equipment, where crystallisation of the fine sea salt “Paška sol” out of concentrated sea water takes place under controlled conditions (Annex 4 Flowchart of salt production).’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘In the first part of the process of producing “Paška sol”, sea water from Pag Bay pours continuously into a system of shallow and enclosed evaporation pools and is exposed to the effects of the sun and wind in the Pag salt pans. In the second part, saturated sea water is introduced into the vacuum evaporation equipment, where crystallisation of the sea salt “Paška sol” out of concentrated sea water takes place under controlled conditions (Annex 4 Flowchart of salt production).’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

10.   Standard amendment of point 5.1.1 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 10
This amendment concerns the production of concentrated sea water (brine).
The text of point 5.1.1:


                           ‘Superconcentrated or concentrated sea water (brine) accumulates in accumulation pools, from where it is transferred to the feed tanks of vacuum evaporation equipment as production needs require.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘Superconcentrated or saturated sea water (brine) accumulates in accumulation pools.’
                        

Description: This amendment involves deletion of a comma and the part of the sentence following the comma and replacing the comma with a full stop.
Justification: The text is redundant because saturated sea water can be transferred from the accumulation pools either to crystallisation pools or to a vacuum evaporation plant.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

11.   Standard amendment of point 5.1.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 11
This amendment relates to the crystallisation of the salt in vacuum evaporators.
The text of point 5.1.2:


                           ‘The production of the fine sea salt “Paška sol” in a plant begins when a sufficient quantity of saturated sea water is produced in the evaporation pools, which most often coincides with the beginning of summer (June and July), and lasts until the conditions for the cessation of work obtain (the warehouse is full, all of the saturated sea water has been used up, etc.).’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The production of the sea salt “Paška sol” in a plant begins when a sufficient quantity of saturated sea water is produced in the evaporation pools, which most often coincides with the beginning of summer (June and July), and lasts until the conditions for the cessation of work have materialised (the warehouse is full, all of the saturated sea water has been used up, etc.).’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

12.   Standard amendment of point 5.1.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 12
This amendment relates to the crystallisation of the salt in vacuum evaporators.
The text of point 5.1.2:


                           ‘The finished product, the fine sea salt “Paška sol”, is obtained by means of the sieving process that follows.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The finished product, the sea salt “Paška sol”, is obtained by means of the sieving process that follows.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

13.   Standard amendment of point 5.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 13
This amendment relates to the method of production of the flower of salt ‘Paška sol’.
The text under point 5.2:


                           ‘The flower of salt is harvested from a surface area of around 1 000 m2.’
                        

has been deleted.
Description: This amendment involved deletion of the above sentence.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with the needs of production. Experience has shown that there is no need to limit the production area of the flower of salt to a specific number of square metres, given that production depends on demand and there is enough surface area to satisfy those needs and more.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

14.   Standard amendment of point 5.3 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 14
This amendment relates to the crystallisation of sea salt in pools.
Point 5.3 is added after point 5.2. Crystallisation of sea salt in pools:


                           ‘Sea water from Pag Bay pours continuously into a system of shallow and enclosed evaporation pools. The influence of the sun and the wind leads to the gradual evaporation of the water and when the requisite level of saturation is reached, salt starts to crystallise in the pools. After a sufficient layer of crystals has formed, the salt is harvested by hand or machine. Manual harvesting results in unrefined sea salt which is dried as such in the sun and stored in sacks, from which it is then packaged by hand. Machine harvesting is performed with the help of a machine and the salt is stored in piles for further processing. After the salt is drained, it is washed in a stream of saturated sea water, centrifuged, dried, sieved and put into packages. Owing to the nature of the process, the crystals are initially of coarser granulation, hence they are ground up, where necessary, to obtain the desired size.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved the addition of a new point 5.3.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with amendments relating to the introduction of a new procedure on the production of sea salt. Point 5.3 has been added in order to describe the classical or traditional method of producing sea salt, which involves collecting the salt from pools. The technology for the production of sea salt using the classical or traditional method has proven to be more energy efficient, while at the same time achieving the same or even better salt quality. It enables better and more efficient production with a noticeably smaller CO2 footprint (in the case of the Pag salt pans, this equates to 1 000 t CO2 less on average per year).






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

15.   Standard amendment of point 6.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 15
This amendment relates to details of the quality of the product.
The text in point 6.2:


                           ‘
                           “Paška sol” fine sea salt is also distinctive in terms of its physical characteristics – its granulation and the shape of its crystals, its chemical characteristics – the lower concentration of heavy metals and its organoleptic characteristics – as well as its colour and bitter-free taste.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘
                           “Paška sol” sea salt is also distinctive in terms of its physical characteristics – the shape of its crystals, its chemical characteristics – the lower concentration of heavy metals, and its organoleptic characteristics – as well as its colour and bitter-free taste.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deleting the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’ and the words ‘its granulation’ in front of the word ‘and’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

16.   Standard amendment of point 6.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 16
This amendment relates to details of the quality of the product.
The text in point 6.2:


                           ‘Sea salt obtained in the traditional way (crystallisation in pools) has to be ground, and the resulting salt is of uneven granulation and may contain impurities. This type of salt has a yellowish colour.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘Sea salt obtained in the traditional way (crystallisation in pools) is of uneven granulation and may contain foreign matter of natural origin.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the part of the sentence ‘has to be ground, and the resulting salt’ in front of the word ‘uneven’ and the word ‘is of’ was added in front of the word ‘uneven’. The sentence ‘This type of salt has a yellowish colour’ has been deleted.
Justification: This amendment is in line with changes relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt. This does not change either its intrinsic quality or the authenticity of the product; rather, it increases the range of ways in which it can be obtained, allowing for greater flexibility and the preservation of traditional methods. Given that salt obtained by means of industrial crystallisation and salt collected from pools refer to the same original product, the changes to this point have been made first and foremost in order to harmonise terminology, removing restrictions previously associated exclusively with one granulation and size of crystal. Experience has shown that the sea salt collected from the Pag salt pans using the traditional method is more white than yellowish in colour.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

17.   Standard amendment of point 6.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 17
This amendment relates to details of the quality of the product.
The text in point 6.2:


                           ‘The fine sea salt “Paška sol” crystallises under controlled conditions in vacuum evaporators and does not undergo a process of grinding; rather, its specific properties result from its production method and the favourable natural conditions affecting the area in which it is produced.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The sea salt “Paška sol” crystallises under controlled conditions in vacuum evaporators and does not undergo a process of grinding; rather, its specific properties result from its production method and the favourable natural conditions affecting the area in which it is produced.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

18.   Standard amendment of point 6.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 18
This amendment relates to details of the quality of the product.
The text in point 6.2:


                           ‘The specificity of the fine sea salt “Paška sol” is precisely the result of its production method, which enables the salt to preserve all minerals and trace elements that are present in the high-quality sea water, and achieve the regular, cube-shaped form of crystal and granulation of 1,3 mm without having to be ground in production. It is white in colour and has a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The specificity of the sea salt “Paška sol” is precisely the result of its production method, which enables the salt to preserve all minerals and trace elements that are present in the high-quality sea water, and achieve the regular, cube-shaped form of crystal. It is white in colour and has a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’ and the part of the sentence ‘and granulation of 1,3 mm without having to be ground in production.’
                     
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt. This amendment is aimed at removing the previously existing restriction which related exclusively to the fine-grained product, enabling the protected product designation for ‘Paška sol’ to also cover sea salt collected in the traditional way, with crystals of a coarser granulation than that prescribed up until now. This change is terminological in nature and does not affect the basic characteristics of the product; rather, it allows for broader recognition of the different methods of obtaining the product in accordance with tradition and geographical origin.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

19.   Standard amendment of point 6.2 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 19
This amendment relates to details of the quality of the product.
The text in point 6.2:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” is very brittle compared to the fine sea salt “Paška sol”; it crumbles easily when rubbed between the fingers and has a coarser granulation. It contains higher levels of natural iodine, calcium, magnesium and potassium.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The flower of salt “Paška sol” is very brittle compared to the sea salt “Paška sol”; it crumbles easily when rubbed between the fingers. It contains higher levels of natural iodine, calcium, magnesium and potassium.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’ and the part of the sentence ‘and has a coarser granulation’.
Justification: This amendment is in line with changes relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt. As a result of the amendment, there is no need to make a comparison on the basis of that parameter.
This amendment affects the single document.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

20.   Standard amendment of point 6.3 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 20
This amendment relates to the causal link between the geographical area and the product.
The text in point 6.3:


                           ‘The specificity of the method of producing the fine sea salt “Paška sol” lies in the fact that saturated sea water, before undergoing a controlled process of crystallisation in vacuum evaporators, rests for a while in accumulation pools.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The specificity of the method of producing the sea salt “Paška sol” lies in the fact that saturated sea water rests for a while in accumulation pools.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’ and the part of the sentence ‘, before undergoing a controlled process of crystallisation in vacuum evaporators,’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt. This allows for a unified approach to be taken towards defining the product, irrespective of the method of crystallisation employed, whether it be industrial (involving use of a crystalliser) or traditional (involving the collection of crystals from a pool). The changes are exclusively terminological in nature and do not affect the intrinsic properties of the product.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

21.   Standard amendment of point 6.3 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 21
This amendment relates to the causal link between the geographical area and the product.
The text in point 6.3:


                           ‘The consequence of this method of production is that the controlled crystallisation of salt results in pure salt crystals, free of all foreign matter of either organic or inorganic origin; they have a regular cube-shaped structure (the crystals do not break) and have a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste. It is worth noting that the crystal shape of the salt is the result solely of crystallising salt from concentrated sea water, which means that “Paška sol” is not ground or refined salt.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The consequence of this method of production is that the controlled crystallisation of salt results in pure salt crystals, free of all foreign matter of either organic or inorganic origin; they have a regular cube-shaped structure and have a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste. It is worth noting that the crystal shape of the salt is the result solely of crystallising salt from concentrated sea water, which means that “Paška sol” is not refined salt.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the words ‘ground or’.
Justification: This amendment is in line with changes relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt, since a coarser granulation will be needed for grinding purposes in order to obtain a finer granulation. This affects neither the intrinsic properties of the product nor its geographical or traditional authenticity; rather it allows for increased flexibility and the preservation of various production methods under the same protected designation.






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This amendment affects the single document.





Heading

22.   Standard amendment of point 6.3 of the product specification

Description

Amendment No 22
This amendment relates to the causal link between the geographical area and the product.
The text in point 6.3:


                           ‘The sea water of Pag Bay, from which the fine sea salt and flower of salt are produced, and its marine environment, is of a high quality due to low values of heavy-metal, well below the Mediterranean Sea average, and much lower than the average concentrations used to determine quality standards for the marine environment (Annex 2.1. Scientific study, Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries, 2009, Kakvoća morske vode u Paškom zaljevu [“The quality of sea water in Pag Bay”]). Consequently, “Paška sol” also has considerably lower levels of heavy metals and higher levels of minerals than other types of salt.’
                        

has been replaced by:


                           ‘The sea water of Pag Bay, from which the sea salt and flower of salt are produced, and its marine environment, is of a high quality due to low values of heavy-metal, well below the Mediterranean Sea average, and much lower than the average concentrations used to determine quality standards for the marine environment (Annex 2.1. Scientific study, Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries, 2009, Kakvoća morske vode u Paškom zaljevu [“The quality of sea water in Pag Bay”]). Consequently, “Paška sol” also has considerably lower levels of heavy metals and higher levels of minerals than other types of salt.’
                        

Description: This amendment involved deletion of the word ‘fine’ in front of the word ‘sea’.
Justification: This amendment has been made in line with a change relating to the removal of restrictions on the granulation of the salt.






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This amendment affects the single document.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products



                     ‘Paška sol’
                  


EU reference number: PDO-HR-02178-AM01 – 3.9.2025
                  

1.   Name(s)


               ‘Paška sol’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







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PDO










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PGI










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GI




3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Croatia
4.   Description of the agricultural product

4.1.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143


                  2501  – Salt (including table salt and denatured salt) and pure sodium chloride, whether or not in aqueous solution or containing added anti-caking or free-flowing agents; Sea water
4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies


                  ‘Paška sol’ is a sea salt obtained from the sea water of Pag Bay which continuously pours into an evaporation pool system until it crystallises in the Pag island salt pans. It takes the form of regular, cube-shaped crystals which are white in colour and contain minerals and trace elements. It has a concentrated, salty, bitter-free taste.
Composition:






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 97,0




Water content (%)


< 0,40




Magnesium (%)


> 0,02




Calcium (%)


> 0,01




Potassium (%)


> 0,02




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,2




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,1




The flower of salt ‘Paška sol’ is a product of the initial phase of manufacture of sea salt, i.e. during the production of concentrated sea water. It has a slightly sweetish taste. Its texture is crunchy and very brittle. It is white to pale yellow in colour owing to high levels of minerals. It has a distinctive flavour, is less salty than cooking salt and contains more natural minerals (magnesium, calcium, potassium, iodine); its crystals have the shape of flakes and crumble easily when rubbed between the fingertips.
Composition:






Proportion of sodium chloride in total dry matter (%)


> 96,0




Water content (%)


< 3,00




Magnesium (%)


> 0,07




Calcium (%)


> 0,02




Potassium (%)


> 0,05




Arsenic (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Cadmium (mg/kg)


< 0,25




Lead (mg/kg)


< 0,3




Mercury (mg/kg)


< 0,1




 


 




4.3.   Derogations on sourcing of feed (for products of animal origin designated by a protected designation of origin only) and restrictions on sourcing of raw materials (for processed products designated by a protected geographical indication only)

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4.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All processes in the production of ‘Paška sol’, from use of the pools of the salt pans to processing the salt (production of concentrated sea water, crystallisation, drying and sieving), must take place within the defined geographical area.
4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

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4.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

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4.7.   Concise definition of the geographical area


                  ‘Paška sol’ is produced in the salt pans of Pag in Pag Bay, surrounded on all sides by the land of Pag island. Pag Bay is connected to the waters of the Velebit Channel by Pag Strait. The Pag salt pans are 3 km from the town of Pag and lie within the administrative boundaries of Zadar County.
5.   Link with the geographical area


Summary of the link

Specificity of the geographical area
The specific characteristics of ‘Paška sol’ result from the climatic conditions of the defined geographical area and the fact that the Pag salt pans are in an isolated location, far from any heavy industry or agricultural activity.
The entire area of the island of Pag is distinctive, primarily because it is an island, and the salt pans are located in the particularly distinctive setting of Pag Bay, surrounded on all sides by the land mass of the island. In addition, transportation of the salt produced out of there is quite easy, as Pag is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
The defined geographical area enjoys a predominantly mild Mediterranean climate with low precipitation and over 2 500 hours of sunshine a year. The mild Mediterranean climate brings dry and hot summers and mild and wet winters.
The ideal geographical location of the Pag island and its salt pans near the mountain Velebit generates a continuous and rapid exchange of air resulting from the natural flow of the Maestral (a north-westerly wind that blows by day), and the Burin (a north-easterly wind that blows in the early evening and at night). The Maestral is a fresh wind accompanied by stable weather which tempers the sweltering summer heat, whereas the Burin is a weak night wind which blows from the land towards the sea.
The whole vast area on which the Pag salt pans are located and the large shallow cove of Pag Bay which surrounds the salt pans are covered by thick impermeable loam, particularly favourable for the production of ‘Paška sol’.
The distinctiveness of ‘Paška sol’ also comes from human factors. The special techniques and know-how of the ‘vodari’ (as they are referred to by Pag locals) with regard to maintaining salt pools and obtaining brine has been passed on from generation to generation. Through many years of experience, the ‘vodari’ know how to determine the best moment for harvesting the flower of salt without disturbing the balance on the surface of the saturated sea water or brine, and avoid making waves which tear the crystallised ‘crust’ on the surface of the pool, or the crystals of the flower of salt. In this way the flower of salt is prevented from falling to the bottom and being wasted.
Specificity of the product

                     ‘Paška sol’ sea salt crystallises in pools or under controlled conditions in vacuum evaporators; its specific properties result solely from its production method, which helps the salt preserve all minerals and trace elements present in the high-quality sea water. ‘Paška sol’ sea salt is completely white, with crystals of a regular cube shape; it may contain crystals of various granulations and impurities of natural origin; it is white in colour.

                     ‘Paška sol’ flower of salt consists of very small crystals which are natural white to pale yellow in colour owing to natural crystallisation on the surface of the sea in salt ponds under ideal conditions (very sunny and warm weather with no wind and no precipitation). Only the thin upper layer of flaky crystals is harvested or gathered with a traditional hand tool – a net comprising a wooden handle attached to a shovel blade frame covered with a stainless metal mesh with very fine holes. The flower of salt is harvested only over the course of a few hours early in the morning and late in the evening; afterwards, it is dried in the sun. The flower of salt ‘Paška sol’ is very brittle compared to the sea salt ‘Paška sol’; it crumbles easily when rubbed between the fingers. It contains higher levels of natural iodine, calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Compared with other sea salts that have been researched, the proportion of heavy metals in ‘Paška sol’ is a hundred times lower than permitted, whereas the proportion of minerals is higher than in other salts produced in vacuum evaporators (scientific study, Centre for Marine Research (CMR) of the Ruđer Bošković Institute, 2011, ‘The quality of sea water in Pag Bay’).
The first written records of ‘Paška sol’ production date far back in history. The authors Koludrović and Franić state that ‘Paška sol’ was mentioned as early as in the 9th century: ‘Essential for feeding humans and livestock, the salt began to be traded very early on, with the oldest notarial documents providing details of the buying and selling of “Paška sol”
                     ’ (Koludrović, A., Franić, M., Sol i morske solane, 1954, Zagreb). Usmiani, the author of the book Paška solana – proizvodnja i trgovina od 1797. do 1813., wrote: ‘Venice has always consumed “Paška sol”, since it was white and pure, and great importance was attached to it in the overall trading and financial potential of the region, especially of Pag itself’ (Usmiani, A., Paška solana – proizvodnja i trgovina od 1797. do 1813. godine (‘The Pag salt pans – production and trade from 1797 to 1813’), 1984). The name ‘Paška sol’ has always been used, as evidenced by a variety of historical documents, and is still used in commercial and everyday language (Račun Solane Pag).
Causal link between the product and the geographical area
The elements creating the microclimate of the geographical region of Pag island, the favourable location of the salt pans, the specific method of producing the sea salt and flower of salt and several hundred years of tradition of producing salt affect the specific quality of the final product, ‘Paška sol’.
The salt pans or pools lie in the naturally shallow bay of Pag island, where currents are weak. The bottom of the bay is covered with impermeable loam, so, together with permanent winds (the Maestral and the Burin) blowing in the spring and summer months, conditions are favourable for the rapid evaporation of sea water in the pools and for salt panning.
The sea water of Pag Bay is exceptionally pure and well-filtered, as the bottom of Pag Bay is rich in shellfish, which are natural purifiers. Therefore, the sea water has very low values of heavy-metal, well below the Mediterranean Sea average, and much lower than the concentrations used to determine quality standards for the marine environment (scientific study, Centre for Marine Research (CMR) of the Ruđer Bošković Institute, 2011, Kvaliteta mora u Paškom zaljevu (‘The quality of sea water in Pag Bay’)).
The specificity of the method of producing ‘Paška sol’ lies in the fact that saturated sea water, before undergoing crystallisation, rests for a while in accumulation pools. As a result, the saturated sea water does not have any impurities of organic and inorganic origin formed by marine microorganisms or transported by the wind and the birds which would subsequently be deposited on the bottom of the pool. The consequence of this specific method of production is that the controlled crystallisation of salt results in pure crystals, free of all foreign matter of either organic or inorganic origin; they have a regular cube-shaped structure, are white, and have a concentrated, salty, bitterless taste.
The specific quality of ‘Paška sol’ is also evidenced by the fact that the sea water of Pag Bay, from which the sea salt and flower of salt is produced, comes under the category of a high-quality sea water and marine environment, since it has very low heavy-metal values, and scientific studies have been carried out on that basis. The Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries discovered through research that values for heavy metals in the sea water of Pag Bay are significantly lower than the average values for heavy metals in the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, ‘Paška sol’ also has considerably lower levels of heavy metals and higher levels of minerals than other types of salt (scientific study, Institute for Oceanography and Fisheries, Split, 2009, Kakvoća morske vode u Paškom zaljevu (The quality of sea water in Pag Bay)).
In addition, human actors also ensure the high quality of the final product, as the tradition of producing ‘Paška sol’ sea salt and flower of salt is based on skills and many years of experience in maintaining the salt pools and obtaining brine for the final ‘Paška sol’ product.

Reference to the electronic address (URL) of the published specification


https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/zoi-zozp-zts/dokumenti-zoi-zozp-zts/Izmijenjena%20Specifikacija%20proizvoda%202025.pdf



(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/6455/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)