Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
Date: 2026-01-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Castile-Leon, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, fresh fruit, labelling, pip fruit, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202600403EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/403


21.1.2026






Publication of an application for registration of a geographical indication pursuant to Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(C/2026/403)

Within three months from the date of this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of agricultural products



                     ‘Pera del Bierzo’
                  


PDO-ES-03369 – 11.11.2024
                  

1.   Name(s)


               ‘Pera del Bierzo’
            
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO ☒ PGI ☐
3.   Country to which the defined geographical area belongs

Spain
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

08 – EDIBLE FRUIT AND NUTS; PEEL OF CITRUS FRUIT OR MELONS

                  0808  – Apples, pears and quinces, fresh

                  0808 30  – Pears

                  0808 30 90  – Other
4.2.   Description of the agricultural product to which the registered name applies

The protected product is the fruit of the species Pyrus communis L., from the Conference variety, intended to be eaten fresh.
The fruits of this variety have the following characteristics:






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General appearance: fruit is whole, with an elongated pyriform appearance, with its stalk attached, clean, free of apparent foreign matter and free of any foreign moisture, smell or taste; also free of pests and pest damage.










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Colour: intense light green, with brown and yellowish hints and abundant russeting.










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Size: large, minimum 60 mm.










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Firmness: between 11 and 15,5 pounds measured with an 8 mm piston.










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Soluble solids: sugar level of 12,5 °Brix or 115 g/l or above.










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Organoleptic properties: primary smell of the whole fruit at the more delicate, cup-like base, high degree of succulence when cut, hard skin, yellowish-white flesh, soft and somewhat grainy, very juicy on the palate, sweet and with very low astringency…




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


                  ‘Pera del Bierzo’ must be grown and harvested only in the indicated geographical area.
4.5.   Specific rules concerning packaging, slicing, grating etc. of the agricultural product the registered name refers to

Packaging must take place in the geographical area for the following reasons:






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the fragility of the fruit and their sensitivity to impact, which requires particular vigilance at the packaging stations and handling of the fruit to be kept to a minimum.










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the warehouse owners’ expertise in managing the stored fruit in order to preserve its physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics over time.










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the requirement for the fruit to be traceable: they are not marketed in bulk and the ‘Pera del Bierzo’ identification system requires individual labels indicating the geographical origin of the fruits to be affixed to them.




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

Any packaging in which the pears are dispatched for consumption must bear a numbered secondary label that features the EU’s PDO symbol and the name ‘Pera del Bierzo’, together with the PDO’s own logo.
Secondary labels must be affixed by the operator in the registered warehousing and distribution facilities in such a way that they cannot be reused.
Registered companies will also be allowed to include the numbered secondary label on the packaging label.
When placed on the market, the protected pears must bear stickers bearing the logo of the PDO on at least 80 % of the pieces of packaging when this comprises a sleeve. In the case of two-sleeve packaging, the above percentage may be reduced to 40 %, provided that the top layer of the packaging comprises 95 % adhesives on the pieces in that layer.
The ‘Pera del Bierzo’ PDO logo is:





5.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area is located in the north-west of the province of Leon and consists of the land located in the following municipalities in the district of Bierzo: Arganza, Balboa, Barjas, Bembibre, Benuza, Berlanga del Bierzo, Borrenes, Cabañas Raras, Cacabelos, Camponaraya, Valle de Ancares, Carracedelo, Carucedo, Castropodame, Congosto, Corullón, Cubillos del Sil, Fabero, Folgoso de la Ribera, Igüeña, Molinaseca, Noceda del Bierzo, Oencia, Palacios del Sil, Páramo del Sil, Peranzanes, Ponferrada, Priaranza del Bierzo, Puente de Domingo Flórez, Sancedo, Sobrado, Toral de los Vados, Toreno, Torre del Bierzo, Trabadelo, Vega de Espinareda, Vega de Valcarce and Villafranca del Bierzo.
6.   Link with the geographical area

The quality of ‘Pera del Bierzo’ is due exclusively to the natural and human factors linked to the defined geographical area.
6.1.   Specificity of the geographical area


Natural factors

The production area of ‘Pera del Bierzo’ corresponds to the district of Bierzo, which is a clearly distinct district due to its particular geomorphological configuration. This consists of a central or ‘basin’ depression, in which the main agricultural production area extends, surrounded by a ring of mountains.
Bierzo occupies a transitional location between the oceanic and Mediterranean climates, and has continental undertones. The average annual temperature is 12 °C and monthly averages vary between 3 °C and 5 °C in January and 18 °C and 23 °C in July. The frost-free period lasts for over 200 days from May to October in almost all the Bierzo production area, in sharp contrast to neighbouring districts.
The first autumn frosts occur on rather late dates in the production area, so the harvest is not threatened. The average annual precipitation is between 700 mm and 1 000 mm and the aridity index is above 1. Bierzo is thus an ideal area for quality fruit production due to its particular climatic conditions.
The soils in the Bierzo production area are fertile, neutral, balanced and with a consistency suitable for growing pear and other fruit trees. The development of these soils in the Bierzo basin is largely due to their particular rift-valley configuration, with loamy and sandy soils, rich in organic matter, medium to high phosphorus and potassium content, and with pH levels close to neutral, or slightly acidic. These soils are a peculiarity of Bierzo, as they contrast with those in neighbouring areas due to the district’s relative isolation.

Human factors

In the cultivation of ‘Pera del Bierzo’, in addition to adapting the variety to the conditions of the district, farmers’ know-how has a decisive influence on the quality of the pears.
Cultural production practices are based on modern techniques, but do not extend to industrialised agriculture. These techniques include fully manual pruning, checks on irrigation, preventing irrigation during flowering and in the seven days before flowering, and harvesting that begins when the fruit has acquired the right size, firmness and sugar.
The basic structure is that of family farms, most of the parcels being relatively small.
6.2.   Specificity of the product


                  ‘Pera del Bierzo’ stands out for its firmness (11-15,5 pounds measured with 8 mm piston) and is very succulent on the palate, with a greater feeling of consistency and crunchiness on biting into the fruit than pears from other areas.
Sweetness is another very characteristic parameter due to a high sugar content (at least 12,5 °Brix). Another distinctive aspect is the presence of abundant and uniform natural russeting. This is very popular among consumers.
All these characteristics are due to the specific natural factors of the geographical area and to human skills.
6.3.   Causal link between the geographical area and the characteristics of the product (The causal link between the geographical area and the product’s special quality)

The Bierzo district is characterised by a benign climate and the presence of fertile soils well suited to growing pears. Some of these characteristics are, indeed, closely linked to the specific features that make ‘Pera del Bierzo’ a popular product.
The most important aspects that characterise ‘Pera del Bierzo’, such as sweetness, the firmness and consistency of the flesh, and its succulence and natural russeting, are linked to soil and climate conditions in the Bierzo district: fertile soils, mild summers, a contrast between day and night temperatures, sufficient but not excessive moisture, persistent mists at critical times and an absence of strong winds, due to the weakening of the winds when they reach the Bierzo basin. This prevents significant damage to the leaves of the fruit and helps protect the foliage that makes up the surface of the tree, which plays a fundamental role in the accumulation of sugars and organic acids in the fruit.
As mentioned earlier, Bierzo is characterised by relatively benign temperatures and low exposure to frost; however, this does not prevent the existence of a good daily temperature contrast during the summer months, which is a favourable factor for the production of quality fruit, giving the pears their characteristic consistency and texture. In the same vein, periods of excessively high temperatures during the summer may also lead to the ‘burning’ of the leaves, with the same impact on the build-up of sugars and organic acids. However, in Bierzo, extreme summer temperatures are mitigated in comparison with other production areas, so this distinguishing characteristic (a climate with relatively moderate temperatures) is considered highly relevant for the product to be protected.
Although pear cultivation under irrigation is common in Bierzo, production is not compromised by a lack of water, as there is an adequate distribution of rainfall. Insufficient water availability may be associated with lower sucrose content; likewise, the accumulation of other sugars would also be affected in excessively rainy climates. The average annual precipitation is about 700 mm in the Bierzo basin, which provides very suitable conditions for this crop.
The formation of natural russeting is closely linked to persistent mists and high humidity during certain critical periods when the fruit is growing. Mists in the Bierzo basin are frequent and long-lasting thanks to its geomorphological configuration and the presence of bodies of surface water.
The soils in the geographical area are fertile, with neutral or slightly acidic pH values and loam and sandy textures that allow for good drainage. These conditions are conducive to the development of trees which are balanced in terms of their vegetative state, which improves the solar exposure of the fruit, achieving a higher level of sugars and allowing for better pest control. It has also been seen that soils rich in potassium, such as those in the Bierzo district, have a favourable impact on the build-up of sugars and organic acids, which are essential for appreciating the quality of the taste of the final product.
As regards human factors, local farmers’ know-how and experience contribute to the characteristics of the ‘Pera del Bierzo’, in particular through the following practices:
Pruning is done manually so as to achieve balanced trees, with a well-formed structure, ensuring proper penetration of air and light, and a shape that is both more open and less dense, helping the sun to reach the fruit better. This promotes photosynthesis and breathing, thus increasing the size and sweetness of the pears.
The experience of farmers, using the specific climatic characteristics of the area, is key to deciding the best time to irrigate. This often takes place in the time between flowering and when the fruit sets, and from ripening and on throughout the summer, preventing a lack of water at times when the crop has greater water needs, and which would lead to a reduction in the size of the fruit, organoleptic losses, wrinkling or falls from the tree. Except in adverse weather conditions, there is no irrigation during flowering, which could cause the flowers to fall, nor is there any irrigation for at least seven days prior to harvesting, as this would result in a lower concentration of soluble solids, thereby reducing the organoleptic quality.
Harvesting is also carried out in a particular way. It is carried out manually by careful picking of the fruit at the precise intersection of the stalk and the branch, taking the fruit from its base and pulling it upwards. In this way, the stalk remains whole and undamaged, avoiding deterioration of the fruit and damage to the rest of the produce during storage. In addition, the famers’ long experience determines the best moment to start harvesting, which must begin at the exact time when the fruit has grown to the right size, firmness of flesh and sugar content, so as to achieve a homogeneous, high-quality fruit, while avoiding any that are unripe.
In summary, the soil and climate conditions of the Bierzo district, associated with the knowledge and production practices of the farmers in the area, give the ‘Pera del Bierzo’ its high quality.

Reference to the publication of the product specification of the geographical indication


https://www.itacyl.es/documents/20143/342640/PCC+DOP+Pera+del+Bierzo.pdf/4b4cd46b-4604-1bd7-f9e7-0c790bf321ba?t=1750760953416



(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/403/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)