Pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, an application from India received on 12 November 2007 to register the name ‘Darjeeling’ as a protected geographical indication was published in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom and a citizen of India lodged objections to such registration under Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. The objections were deemed admissible under points (a), (c), and (d) of the first subparagraph of Article 7(3) thereof. By letter dated 11 June 2010, the Commission asked the Parties concerned to seek agreement among them.

An agreement was reached between France and India, which resulted in introducing clarifications to the Single Document to the effect that only bulk packaging is required to take place in the geographical area and that consumer packaging may take place within or outside the geographical area. Consequently, it should be made clear in relation to labelling that the obligatory presence of a licence number and a specified logo is only required in respect of products in bulk shipped from the geographical area.

Agreement was only partially reached between Germany, Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom and the citizen of India on the one hand, and India on the other hand, within the designated timeframe. Following the agreement the botanical name ‘Camellia sinensis M Kuntz’, should be correctly referred to as ‘Camellia sinensis L.O. Kuntze’, and bulk packaging of ‘Darjeeling’ tea should be restricted to the geographical area. Any other kind of packaging or repackaging, including packaging intended for the final consumer, may take place within or outside the geographical area.

The objectors further alleged failure of compliance with Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.

Concerning the alleged absence of a link between the reputation and renown of the product and the area of production, it has been found that the product specification shows that the product is specific, and that the savoir-faire and acquired skills employed by producers as well as the pedo-climatic features and geographical environment of the geographical area (natural drainage of the soils, complex combination of very high rainfall and continuous low temperature) significantly affect the product’s characteristics which constitute the core of its reputation.

As for the objection regarding the alleged irrelevance of the analysis data cited in the Single Document, this data does not have an impact on the link which is based on reputation but merely serves to describe the product as such. Yet, to reveal the source of the analysis is not required by Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.

The name ‘Darjeeling’ should only be used as a sales designation for tea that is wholly produced in the geographical area in accordance with the specification, although blending of such tea may take place within or outside the geographical area. Blends of Darjeeling and other teas should not bear the name ‘Darjeeling’ as the sales designation and should otherwise be labelled in conformity with the Union’s rules on labelling in particular to avoid that consumers are misled to a material degree.

The statements of objection showed that the name ‘Darjeeling’ is used to designate certain products that are not in conformity with the specification, but which are comparable to such products. The continued use of the name on these products is found to jeopardise the existence of the name ‘Darjeeling’. Therefore the producers of such products should be granted a transitional period of 5 years to use the said name, pursuant to Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, in so far as these products have been legally marketed for at least 5 years prior to 14 October 2009, and provided that the Union’s legal order, in particular with respect to Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, is respected.

Concerning the alleged generic character of the name proposed for registration, no proof of generic status has been established.

In the light of the above, the name ‘Darjeeling’ should be entered in the Register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and the Single Document should be updated accordingly and published.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Protected Geographical Indications and Protected Designations of Origin,