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, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 7(4) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, France's application to register the name ‘Sel de Guérande / Fleur de sel de Guérande’ (PGI) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union
.
(2)
As no statement of objection under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 has been received by the Commission, that name should therefore be entered in the register.
(3)
However, in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006, a transitional period may be set for undertakings established in the Member State in which the geographical area is located, provided that the undertakings concerned have legally marketed the products in question, using the names concerned continuously for at least five years preceding the date of the publication referred to in Article 6(2) of that Regulation, and have noted that point in the national objection procedure referred to in Article 5(5) thereof.
(4)
In a letter received on 22 February 2011, the authorities of the French Republic confirmed to the Commission that the undertakings established on their territory and listed in Annex II to this Regulation meet the conditions set out in the second subparagraph of Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.
(5)
Those undertakings are therefore allowed to continue to use the registered name ‘Sel de Guérande/Fleur de sel de Guérande’ (PGI) during a transitional period of five years from the entry into force of this Regulation,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: