COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 24 June 2019

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

of the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to a product specification referred to in Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the name ‘Gall del Penedès’ (PGI)

(2019/C 217/06)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (1), and in particular Article 50(2)(a) in conjunction with Article 53(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Spain has sent an application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification of ‘Gall del Penedès’ (PGI) in accordance with Article 49(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(2) In accordance with Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that it fulfils the conditions laid down in that Regulation.

(3) In order to allow for the submission of notices of opposition in accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 (2), including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Gall del Penedès’ (PGI) should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application for approval of an amendment, which is not minor, to the product specification, referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 10(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, including the amended single document and the reference to the publication of the relevant product specification, for the registered name ‘Gall del Penedès’ (PGI) is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to oppose to the amendment referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within three months from the date of publication of this Decision in the

Official Journal of the European Union

Done at Brussels, 24 June 2019.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)

OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1

(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 of 13 June 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (

OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 36

ANNEX

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF PROTECTED DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN/PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS WHICH IS NOT MINOR

Application for approval of an amendment in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘

GALL DEL PENEDÈS

’

EU No: PGI-ES-01308-AM01 – 25.7.2018

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Consell Regulador de la IGP Gall del Penedès

C/ Hermenegild Clascar, 1-3, Planta baja

Consejo Comarcal de l'Alt Penedès

08720 Vilafranca del Penedès

Barcelona

ESPAÑA

Email: agricultura@ccapenedes.cat

Tel. +34 938900000

The Regulatory Board for the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Gall del Penedès’ represents all of the poultry farms and labellers of the product covered by the ‘Gall del Penedès’ PGI and it has a legitimate interest in submitting this application for an amendment.

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

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

— ☐

Name of product

— ☒

Description of product

— ☐

Geographical area

— ☐

Proof of origin

— ☒

Method of production

— ☐

Link

— ☐

Labelling

— ☐

others (please specify)

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☒

Amendment to product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be regarded as minor in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

— ☐

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

5. Amendment(s)

Description of product

— As stated in the description of the product, the ‘Gall del Penedès’ PGI covers ‘the fresh meat of chickens (males and females) of the improved Black Penedesenca variety of the traditional Penedesenca breed’. The text of the specification referred only to the weight of the male specimens because they are the most commonly kept by breeders. However, given the considerable difference in the final weight of male and female specimens, it is necessary to differentiate the minimum weight of each carcass type according to sex. That is the reason why a lower weight has been introduced for the female specimens.

Therefore, in both the Single Document (Section 3.2. ‘Description of the product’ and the Product Specification (Section B.2 ‘Product characteristics’), the following paragraph:

‘The minimum weight is 1,5 kg for an eviscerated carcass without giblets (plucked, eviscerated and without the head, feet, heart, liver or gizzard) and 2 kg for a partially eviscerated carcass (plucked and gutted, but with the head and feet still on).’

must be replaced as follows:

‘Minimum carcass weight:

— for an eviscerated carcass without giblets (plucked, eviscerated and without the head, feet, heart, liver or gizzard): 1,2 kg for females and 1,5 kg for males.

— for a partially eviscerated carcass (plucked and gutted but with the head and feet still on): 1,7 kg for females and 2 kg for males.’

— The minimum animal feed values provided in the relevant sections of the Single Document (3.3. Feed and raw materials) and of the Product Specification (E.1 ‘Production system’) have been changed. The following text:

‘The basic feed is made up as follows:

— 58-60 % maize

— 33,5-35,5 % soya and its derivatives

— 5-5,5 % grape seeds’

must be replaced by:

‘The basic feed is made up as follows:

— 55-60 % maize

— 30-35,5 % soya and its derivatives

— 5-5,5 % grape seeds’

The minimum percentage of maize and soya (and its derivatives) is being changed to give producers greater flexibility and the possibility of adapting to the animals' nutritional requirements during the course of their development.

Method of production

— In the subsection on ‘Characteristics and management of ranges’ in the Product Specification (Section E.1 ‘Production system’), the minimum surface area of the outdoor area has been reduced. To be specific, the sentence: ‘The minimum surface area of the outdoor area available per head will be 2 m

’

must be replaced as follows: ‘The minimum surface area of the outdoor area available per head will be 1 m

’.

The minimum surface area of the outdoor area has been reduced because at the time that the Product Specification was being drafted, the dimension of the yards was estimated to enable farms to be organised properly and for parcels to be managed according to traditional practices. However, the traditional ranges were not all the same size in terms of the surface area available and often they were not equipped with enclosures, meaning it was difficult to measure the optimal surface area needed for adequate animal development and well-being. This led to the space being overestimated.

With time, it has been proven that the animals do not use all the available space. Problems arise with managing this unused space, as it is taken over by undesirable weeds that are hard to handle. This in turn encourages encroachment by wild fauna, which increases the sanitary risks. Moreover, the animals are not all outdoors or indoors on the farm at the same time; as they alternate, there is more space available per head.

As the available surface area has never been used in its entirety, this reduction does not mean any change in terms of the quality of the meat or of the animals' well-being.

— In the same subsection of the Product Specification, the fallowing time that applies to outdoor ranges must be changed. The paragraph:

‘Ranges must be left fallow for a minimum of 8 weeks (including depopulation and the time it takes for the chicks to be able to go outdoors) to enable the soil and the vegetation to regenerate.’

must be replaced as follows:

‘Ranges must be left fallow to enable the soil and the vegetation to regenerate, taking into account depopulation and the time it takes for the chicks to be able to go outdoors.’

This change in relation to leaving the ranges fallow is justified by the diversity of soil types on the various farms, as well as by the seasonality and the variations in the Mediterranean climate that prevails in the territory, which mean that it is very complicated to set a specific period of time needed for range regeneration. For this reason, the set fallowing time has been removed and the issue of range management is left to the discretion of the breeders, who will make the decision based on their experience and know-how.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘GALL DEL PENEDÈS’

EU No: PGI-ES-01308-AM01 – 25.7.2018

PDO ( ) PGI ( X )

1. Name

‘Gall del Penedès’

2. Member State or Third Country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.1. Fresh meat (and offal)

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

The product covered by the ‘Gall del Penedès’ PGI is the fresh meat of chickens (males and females) of the improved Black Penedesenca variety of the traditional Penedesenca breed.

It is characterised by its flavour, the reddish colour of the carcasses and the firm and succulent meat and muscles.

The breed is slow growing and very hardy, has great vitality and a light, Mediterranean build and produces a dense meat. It is resistant to the heat and cold typical of the Mediterranean.

‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens are reared in chicken coops with outdoor access all year round, and the inclusion of grape seeds in their diet is a characteristic feature.

The grape seeds give the meat distinctive organoleptic qualities, as shown by the report on the sensory and chemical analysis carried out by the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia agroalimentàries (IRTA — Institute for Agri-food Research and Technology), entitled

Inclusió de granet de raïm en el pinso per la IGP del Gall del Penedès

[Inclusion of grape seeds in the feed for PGI ‘Gall del Penedès’] (Amadeu Francesch Vidal, February 2012), which reads as follows:

‘Meat from animals fed on a diet including 5 % grape seeds smelled more nutty and less strongly of bark, had a flavour that was less like ordinary chicken, less sweet and more metallic and had a more fibrous texture …’

‘Meat from animals fed on a diet including 5 % grape seeds has been shown to have a significantly higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, which is attributable to the higher proportion of linoleic acid, making it a meat with added health value.’

The minimum age at slaughter for ‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens is 98 days.

‘Gall del Penedès’ carcasses are classified as class A (in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 543/2008). The carcass has no excess fat, the skin is white, the meat is reddish and the feet are black with a white base.

Minimum carcass weight:

— for an eviscerated carcass without giblets (plucked, eviscerated and without the head, feet, heart, liver or gizzard): 1,2 kg for females and 1,5 kg for males,

— for a partially eviscerated carcass (plucked and gutted but with the head and feet still on): 1,7 kg for females and 2 kg for males.

‘Gall del Penedès’ carcasses are sold fresh, either whole or cut into pieces.

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

‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens are fed on a diet based on the traditional diet for the geographical area covered by the PGI, adapted to current formulas and agri-food techniques. The distinctive feature of the diet is that it includes grape seeds.

The basic feed is made up as follows:

— 55-60 % maize

— 30-35,5 % soya and its derivatives

— 5-5,5 % grape seeds

During the last seven days before slaughter, the feed may be based on a minimum of 90 % cereals and 5-5,5 % grape seeds.

Animal fats are prohibited, with the exception of milk derivatives.

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

‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens are reared within the defined geographical area.

Chicks arrive at poultry production farms for fattening when they are 24-48 hours old. When they reach the age of 42-56 days, the chickens are given access to outdoor ranges. They are reared for a minimum of 98 days.

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 end product destined for consumption under this PGI must prominently bear the words

IGP ‘Gall del Penedès’

Indicación Geográfica Protegida ‘Gall del Penedés’

and the PGI's own logo.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens are reared in a geographical area comprising 73 municipalities:

— all the municipalities in the district of Alt Penedès (27);

— all the municipalities in the district of Baix Penedès (14);

— all the municipalities in the district of Garraf (6);

— the following municipalities in the district of Anoia: Argençola, La Llacuna, Cabrera d'Igualada, Piera, Masquefa, Hostalets de Pierola, Vallbona d'Anoia, Capellades, La Torre de Claramunt, Carme, Orpí, Santa Maria de Miralles, Bellprat, Sant Martí de Tous, Santa Margarida de Montbui, Vilanova del Camí, La Pobla de Claramunt, Castellolí, El Bruc, Òdena, Igualada, Rubió, Jorba, Montmaneu and Copons (25);

— the municipality of Rodonyà in the district of Alt Camp (1).

5. Link with the geographical area

The link with the area is based on the reputation that the product has gained over time, as evinced by oral tradition, documents, fairs and markets and the particular production system used by breeders in the area, which is closely linked to the wine-growing tradition of the production area.

The geographical production area for the PGI corresponds to the historical region of el Penedès, which is distinguished by being the place of origin of the traditional Penedesenca breed, from which ‘Gall del Penedès’ stems, and for being a largely wine-growing region in which approximately 80 % of agricultural land is used to grow grapes and which falls within the Penedès and Cava wine PDOs. It could be said that, in el Penedès, as a result of the area's specific character and crops, ‘Gall del Penedès’ is produced along with the region's characteristic wines and sparkling wines.

The rearing, consumption and marketing of ‘Gall del Penedès’ has for centuries formed part of the customary apprenticeship for the region's farmers. Written sources, oral tradition and works of art testify to the fact that these birds were kept at every farm, both as a means of feeding the family and as a source of household income over time, as their intensely red-brown eggs (known as ‘ou rogenc de Vilafranca’ [red eggs from Vilafranca]) were sold and were much sought after at the local markets (Vilafranca market, for which records date back to the 12th century) and the market in Barcelona. ‘Gall del Penedès’ meat was also held in high esteem and renown, as illustrated by the

Fira del Penedès

, a fair dating back to the 12th century which was later renamed

Fira de Sant Tomàs

and is now known as

Fira del Gall

. It has been held every year without fail, allowing the region's farmers, whose farms were small, to display and sell their produce, thus preserving the traditional foods based around wine-growing.

In this environment, the region's farmers came together at markets and fairs, where they passed on their expertise on how to rear ‘Gall del Penedès’ and consolidated the region's typical production system, in which grape skins were used as feed for the chickens. The skins of pressed grapes (known as ‘brisa’) were dried in the fields before being fed to the birds. In 1937, a study on poultry feed noted that grape seeds were highly nutritious for chickens on account of their high fibre content and relative abundance of fats and some proteins and carbohydrates. Today, breeders have adapted the traditional practices of the area by including grape seeds in the feed formula.

The diet of PGI ‘Gall del Penedès’ chickens, which includes grape seeds and thus maintains the link between the feed and the region's wine-growing tradition, contributes to the flavour of the product, while the fact that the birds are reared in coops with outdoor access all year round contributes to the reddish colour and the firmness and succulence of the meat.

Today, ‘Gall del Penedès’ is the subject of numerous articles in the regional press, campaigns promoting high-quality regional produce (Barcelona Council and the District Council of Alt Penedès through programmes such as

Productos de la Terra

[Products of the Land] and

la Gastroteca

) and research (Fundación Alicia, IRTA, etc.).

Reference to publication of the Product Specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

The full text of the Product Specification can be viewed on the following web page:

http://gencat.cat/alimentacio/modificacion-pliego-igp-gall-penedes