APPENDIX III

PART I

REGRULATORY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTS

No 5883

Monday 8 July 2024

1789

No 252

DECISION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 20(7) OF REGULATION (EU) 2024/1143 ON GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS FOR WINE, SPIRIT DRINKS AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL SPECIALITIES GUARANTEED AND OPTIONAL QUALITY TERMS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, AMENDING REGULATIONS (EU) NO 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 AND (EU) 2019/1753 AND REPEALING REGULATION (EU) NO 1151/2012

WHEREAS following the adoption of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/591 of 12 April 2021, the name ‘Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim’ was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications,

WHEREAS the Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, by his decision in Regulatory Administrative Act (RAA) 326/2014 of 9 July 2014, approved, on the basis of Article 15(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs, a transitional period of 10 years during which the proportion of the types of milk in the product to be designated as Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim will be that laid down in the Decree issued by the Minister for Energy, Commerce and Industry pursuant to the Law on Standardisation, Accreditation and Technical Information,

WHEREAS the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment is making efforts to gradually increase the production of goat and sheep’s milk so that all producers can comply with the production specification of the protected designation of origin ‘Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim’ (PDO) by the end of the transitional period,

WHEREAS the quantities of sheep and goat’s milk currently available remain the same as last year, it is not possible for all halloumi producers to comply with the specification of the registered designation Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim (PDO), which provides that the quantity of sheep or goat’s milk, or a blend of the two, must always exceed the amount of cow’s milk,

WHEREAS the time between the application for registration of the name at Union stage and the registration of the name Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim as a Protected Designation of Origin has exceeded five years.

The Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, on the basis of Article 20(7) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, has decided to extend the transitional period for a further 5 years. The additional 5 years of the transitional period shall start from the date on which the 10-year transitional period ends, according to RAA 326/2014, i.e. from 9 July 2024. During this extended transitional period, the minimum proportion of sheep and goat’s milk in the raw materials used to prepare the product with the designation Χαλλούμι / Halloumi / Hellim shall be as laid down in the Decree issued by the Minister for Energy, Commerce and Industry pursuant to the Law on Standardisation, Accreditation and Technical Information.

This Decision shall apply from 10 July 2024.