Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 426/2012 of 22 May 2012 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Πράσινες Ελιές Χαλκιδικής (Prasines Elies Chalkidikis) (PDO))

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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

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 third subparagraph of Article 7(5) thereof,

Whereas:

1. Pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 and in accordance with Article 17(2) thereof, an application from Greece received on 27 March 2006 to register the name ‘Πράσινες Ελιές Χαλκιδικής’ (Prasines Elies Chalkidikis) as a protected designation of origin was published in the Official Journal of the European Union⁽²⁾.

2. Belgium and a private company from Canada lodged objections to such registration under Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. The objections were deemed admissible under points (a), (b), (c), and (d) of the first subparagraph of Article 7(3) thereof. By letter dated 17 February 2011, the Commission asked the Parties concerned to seek agreement among them.

3. An agreement was reached between Greece and the objectors. Pursuant to this agreement, the Specification and the Summary were amended in a minor way by adding lactic acid and citric acid to the list of authorised preservatives and by limiting at 8,5 % the sodium chloride content of the brine solution at the fermentation stage. Greece and the objectors also agreed that the registration of the name ‘Πράσινες Ελιές Χαλκιδικής’ (Prasines Elies Chalkidikis) should not prevent the placing on the market of a product, the labelling of which includes the term ‘variety Chalkidikis’, as long as the product in question comprises or is derived from this variety and that consumers are not misled, the usage of the variety name constitutes fair competition, and the usage does not exploit the reputation of the protected designation of origin. Pursuant to this agreement this would be ensured when the term ‘variety Chalkidikis’ appears on the label in smaller letters compared to those of the product name, at a reasonable distance from the sales designation of the product and provided it is accompanied with the indication of the place of origin, when this place is other than Chalkidiki.

4. In the light of the above, the name ‘Πράσινες Ελιές Χαλκιδικής’ (Prasines Elies Chalkidikis) should be entered in the Register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications. The Summary should be updated accordingly and published,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: