Commission Regulation (EC) No 159/2009

of 25 February 2009

approving minor amendments to the specification for a name entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Chabichou du Poitou (PDO))

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs [1], and in particular the second sentence of Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) By virtue of the first subparagraph of Article 9(1) and in accordance with Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, the Commission has examined France’s application for the approval of an amendment to the specification for the protected designation of origin "Chabichou de Poitou", registered under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 [2].

(2) The purpose of the application is to amend the specification by stipulating the conditions for using treatments and additives to the milk and for the manufacture of "Chabichou du Poitou". These practices ensure that the key characteristics of the PDO product are maintained.

(3) The Commission has examined the amendment in question and decided that it is justified. Since the amendment is minor within the meaning of Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, the Commission may approve it without following the procedure set out in Articles 5, 6 and 7 of that Regulation.

(4) In accordance with Article 18(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1898/2006 [3] and pursuant to Article 17(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, a summary of the specification should be published,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The specification for the protected designation of origin "Chabichou du Poitou" is hereby amended in accordance with Annex I to this Regulation.

Article 2

A summary of the main points of the specification is given in Annex II to this Regulation.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 25 February 2009.

For the Commission

Mariann Fischer Boel

Member of the Commission

[1] OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12.

[2] OJ L 148, 21.6.1996, p. 1.

[3] OJ L 369, 23.12.2006, p. 1.

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ANNEX I

The specification for the protected designation of origin "Chabichou du Poitou" is amended as follows:

"Method of production"

The following provisions are added to point 5 of the specification regarding the production method:

"(…) Coagulation must be carried out using rennet only.

The milk must not be concentrated by partially removing the watery part before coagulation.

In addition to the raw dairy materials, the only ingredients or production aids or additives authorised in the milk and during production are rennet, innocuous bacterial cultures, yeasts, moulds, calcium chloride and salt.

(…) The dairy raw materials, partly finished products, curd and fresh cheese must not be conserved at a temperature below 0 °C.

(…) Fresh cheese and cheese undergoing the maturing process must not be conserved under a modified atmosphere."

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ANNEX II

SUMMARY

Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs

"CHABICHOU DU POITOU"

EC No: FR-PDO-0117-0115/ 29.03.2006

PDO (X) PGI ( )

This summary sets out the main elements of the product specification for information purposes.

1. Responsible department in the Member State

Name : Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (INAO)

Address : 51 rue d’Anjou – 75008 Paris — FRANCE

Tel. : +33 153898000

Fax : +33 153898060

e-mail : info@inao.gouv.fr

2. Group

Name : Syndicat de défense du Chabichou du Poitou

Address : Agropole — Route de Chauvigny — BP 50002 — 86550 Mignaloux Beauvoir — FRANCE

Tel. : +33 549447480

Fax : +33 549467905

e-mail : filieres-lait@poitou-charentes.chambagri.fr

Composition : Producers/processors (X) Other ( )

3. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

4. Specification

(summary of requirements under Article 4(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006)

4.1. Name

"Chabichou du Poitou"

4.2. Description

Unpressed soft cheese made from goat’s milk, white inside with a thin skin; in the shape of a truncated cone, known as a "bonde". The cheeses are approximately 6 cm high and the average weight is 120 grams. Fat content: 45 %.

4.3. Geographical area

Department of Vienne

The cantons of Ch?tellerault, Charroux, Civray, Couhé, Gen?ay, Lenclo?tre, Lusignan, Mirebeau, Moncontour, Neuville, Poitiers, Saint-Georges-lès-Baillargeaux, Saint-Julien-l’Ars, La Villedieu-du-Clain, Vivonne and Vouillé: all the communes.

The communes of Ar?ay, Availles-en-Ch?tellerault, Beaumont, Berthegon, Bonneuil-Matours, Bouresse, Cenon, Chalais, Chauvigny, Chouppes, Coussay, Curzay-sur-Dive, Dercé, Glenouzé, Guesnes, Lhommaizé, Loudun, Maulay, Mauprévoir, Messemé, Monthoiron, Monts-sur-Guesnes, Moussac, Mouterre-Silly, Prin?ay, Queaux, Ranton, La Roche-Rigault, Saint-Laon, Saint-Laurent-de-Jourdes, Saint-Martin-l’Ars, Saires, Sammar?olles, Sérigny, Ternay, Verrières, Verrue, Le Vigeant and Vouneuil-sur-Vienne.

Department of Deux-Sèvres

The cantons of Airvault, Celles-sur-Belle, Chef-Boutonne, Lezay, Mazières-en-G?tine, Melle, Ménigoute, La Mothe-Saint-Héray, Saint-Loup-Lamairé, Saint-Maixent-l’Ecole-2, Saint-Maixent-l’Ecole-Ville, Sauzé-Vaussais, Thénezay, Thouars-1 and Thouars-Ville: all the communes.

The communes of Augé, Asnières-en-Poitou, Azay-le-Br?lé, Brieuil-sur-Chizé, Brioux-sur-Boutonne, Br?lain, La Crèche, Chérigné, Ensigné, Geay, Glénay, Juillé, Luché-sur-Brioux, Lusseray, Luzay, Paizay-le-Chapt, Périgné, Pierrefitte, Prahecq, Saint-Martin-de-Bernegoue, Sainte-Gemme, Saint-Varent, Saivres, Secondigné-sur-Belle, Séligné, Vernoux-sur-Boutonne, Villefollet, Villiers-sur-Chizé and Vouillé.

Department of Charente

The communes of Adjots, Benest, Bernac, Bioussac, Le Bouchage, Brettes, Champagne-Mouton, La Chèvrerie, Condac, Courc?me, Empuré, La Faye, La Forêt-de-Tessé, Londigny, Longré, La Magdeleine, Montjean, Nanteuil-en-Vallée, Paizay-Naudoin-Embourie, Raix, Ruffec, Saint-Gourson, Saint-Martin-du-Clocher, Souvigné, Taizé-Aizié, Theil-Rabier, Vieux-Ruffec, Villefagnan and Villiers-le-Roux.

4.4. Proof of origin

Every milk producer, processing plant and maturing plant fills in a "declaration of aptitude" registered with the INAO which enables the INAO to identify all operators involved. All operators must keep at the INAO’s disposal their registers and any documents required for checking the origin, quality and production conditions of the milk and cheese.

As part of the checks carried out on the specified features of the designation of origin, an analytical and organoleptic test is conducted to ensure that the products submitted for examination are of high quality and possess the requisite typical characteristics.

4.5. Method of production

The milk must be produced, and the cheese must be manufactured and matured within the geographical area.

Whole goat’s milk, with a small amount of rennet added, curdled by lactic acid. The fresh curd, pre-drained or not, is placed in a perforated mould in the shape of a truncated cone. It is left to drain for 18 to 24 hours, salted on the surface. It is then left to dry for a further 24 to 48 hours. Matured for at least 10 days at a temperature of 10 to 12 °C and 80 to 90 % humidity.

4.6. Link

The name comes from the Arabic word "chebli" meaning goat. The cheese was made by the Saracens who were defeated at Poitiers in 732 but remained in the area, confined to a hill nearby. The name "Chabichou" appears in Charles de Cherge’s 1782 "Guide du voyageur à Poitiers". It is associated with the Poitou region and its praises were sung in a sonnet by Emile Bergerat in 1910 and in a 1914 song. The designation was applied for in 1989 and the designation of origin obtained in 1990.

Chabichou du Poitou is produced in the Seuil du Poitou geological area: homogeneous limestone terrain, where goats have been reared for centuries and there is a long tradition of producing and processing this particular cheese.

4.7. Inspection body

Name : Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (INAO)

Address : 51 rue d'Anjou — 75008 Paris — FRANCE

Tel. : +33 153898000

Fax : +33 153898060

e-mail : info@inao.gouv.fr

The Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité is a public administrative body with legal personality and reports to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Name : Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes (DGCCRF)

Address : 59 boulevard Vincent-Auriol — 75703 Paris Cedex 13 — FRANCE

Tel. : +33 144871717

Fax : + 33 144973037

The DGCCRF is a department of the Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment.

4.8. Labelling

The product must bear the wording "Appellation d’Origine Contr?lée" and the name of the designation of origin.

The words "Appellation d’Origine" must appear on the label.

The words "Fabrication fermière" or "Fromage fermier" should also appear.

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