By letter of 26 September 2018, the French authorities notified the Commission that a transitional period under Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, ending on 31 December 2022, had been granted to operators established on their territory who meet the conditions laid down in that Article pursuant to the Order of 29 August 2018 on amendments to the specification for the protected designation of origin ‘Brie de Melun’, published on 6 September 2018 in the Official Journal of the French Republic. The operators concerned, who had been legally marketing ‘Brie de Melun’ continuously for at least 5 years before the application was submitted, have lodged an objection as part of the national opposition procedure. One operator objected to the following provision: ‘During the permanent stabling period, the use of straw bedding is compulsory with at least 0,5 kg of straw being added on average per lactating dairy cow per day if a cubicle system is used and 5 kg of straw being added on average per lactating dairy cow per day if open stables are used’. The operator concerned is EARL de la Mardelle (SIRET: 38514961200017). Two operators objected to the following provisions: ‘The amount of concentrated feed provided may not exceed 25 % of the dry matter of the total ration per lactating dairy cow per day, averaged over a year’ and ‘Over a year, the hay fed to the milk herd must be supplied from the holding and the geographical area as follows: – from the holding: Feed originating in the geographical area and supplied by the holding must account for at least 50 % of the dry matter of the herd’s total ration, averaged over a year; – from the geographical area: The proportion of the feed originating in the geographical area of production must account for at least 80 % of the dry matter of the dairy herd’s total ration.’ The operators concerned are SCL du Versant laiteux (SIRET: 49225855300014) and GAEC Reconnu Patoux (SIRET: 38008216400019). One operator objected to the following provision: ‘The amount of concentrated feed provided may not exceed 25 % of the dry matter of the total ration per lactating dairy cow per day, averaged over a year.’ The operator concerned is Gérard Maurice Houdard (SIRET: 39226686200011).

As no statement of opposition under Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 has been received by the Commission, the amendments to the specification should be approved,