Date: 2025-07-29Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1507 of 25 July 2025 rejecting an application for protection of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 52(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council Erzurum Su Böreği (PGI) (notified under document C(2025) 4762)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Executive Summary:
Commission Implementing Decision EU 2025/1507, dated 25 July 2025, rejects the application for registration of "Erzurum Su Brei" as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The application, submitted by Türkiye on 1 July 2021, was found not to meet the requirements of Regulation EU No 1151/2012. The decision is effective as of 25 July 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
Rejection of PGI Application:
The application for registration of the name "Erzurum Su Brei" as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is rejected.
Reasons for Rejection:
* Product Description: The provided product description does not fulfill the requirements of Article 7(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014, as it is not focused on the specificity of the product and does not allow the final product to be identified. It reads more as a recipe than a specific product description.
* Geographical Link: The link between the product's characteristics and its geographical origin is not sufficiently identified, as required by Article 8(1)(c)(ii) of Regulation EU No 1151/2012.
* Single Document Deficiencies: The single document submitted did not clarify whether the link between "Erzurum Su Brei" and the geographical area was based on reputation or characteristics attributable to its origin, as per Article 5(2)(b) of Regulation EU No 1151/2012.
* Traceability: The product specification lacks necessary information on traceability procedures, including the origin, destination, and quantities of "Erzurum Su Brei" and its raw materials, as required by Article 4 of Implementing Regulation EU No 668/2014.
Applicant's Response:
* The applicant's reply on 2 September 2024 did not address the specific concerns raised by the Commission regarding the product's characteristics, geographical link, or traceability.
Regulatory Basis:
* The decision is based on Article 52(1) of Regulation EU No 1151/2012 and takes into account the opinion of the Quality Policy Committee for agricultural products, wine and spirit drinks.
Impact Analysis:
Erzurum Commodity Exchange:
* Impact: The application for PGI status for "Erzurum Su Brei" has been rejected.
* Action Required: No immediate action is required, however, they may address the deficiencies noted by the commission and reapply.
Key Entities Referenced
Erzurum Su Brei: A specific type of pastry from Turkey for which protected geographical indication (PGI) status was applied but rejected.
Regulation EU No 1151/2012: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Regulation EU 2024/1143: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products.
Commission Implementing Regulation EU No 668/2014: Commission Implementing Regulation laying down rules for the application of Regulation EU No 1151/2012.
Erzurum Commodity Exchange: The applicant organization, Erzurum Ticaret Borsas, based in Erzurum, Turkey, that applied for the PGI status for Erzurum Su Brei.
Erzurum province: Geographical area in Turkey, the origin of Erzurum Su Brei.
Trkiye: The country of origin for the geographical indication application for Erzurum Su Brei.
Brussels: The location where the Commission Implementing Decision was made.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1507 29.7.2025
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION(EU) 2025/1507
of 25 July 2025
rejecting an application for protection of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 52(1)
of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Erzurum Su
Böreği’ (PGI)
(notified under document C(2025) 4762)
(Only the English text is authentic)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on
quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs(1), and in particular Article 52(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 90(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2),
which repealed Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the latter remains applicable to the applications for registration of
geographical indication received by the Commission before 13 May 2024.
(2) Pursuant to Article 50 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, the Commission has examined the application for
registration of the name ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ as protected geographical indication (PGI), submitted by Türkiye on
1 July 2021 (PGI-TR-02781).
(3) Following the scrutiny of the application for registration, the Commission sent a notice of comments to the applicant
on 11 October 2021, on 2 December 2022, on 7 July 2023 and on 21 December 2023 requesting clarification of
some of the aspects of the file.
(4) On the basis of the information provided by the applicant, the Commission concluded that the application does not
fulfil the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and informed the applicant by the rejection letter of 1 July
2024 that, if no observations have been received within 2 months of receipt of the letter, it intends to launch the
procedure for the adoption of a formal Commission decision rejecting the application pursuant to Article 52(1) of
Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.
(5) In particular, the Commission considered that the provided product description does not fulfil the requirements laid
down in Article 7(1) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014(3), in conjunction with
Article 8(1), first subparagraph, point (c)(i), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 since the description is not focused
on the specificity of the product bearing the name to be registered and does not allow the final product to be
identified. ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ is a specific type of pastry and its description fails to give the specific characteristics
of the product. In addition, the description does not identify how this product distinguishes from other similar
pastries, and it is rather written in a recipe form detailing the preparation process, which is common to products of
that type. Therefore, it does not allow the product to be identified, as required by Article 7(1) of Implementing
Regulation (EU) No 668/2014.
(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/1151/oj.
(2) Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 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 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).
(3) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014 of 13 June 2014 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU)
No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 179,
19.6.2014, p. 36, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2014/668/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1507/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 29.7.2025
(6) Moreover, the Commission indicated that the link between a given quality, the reputation or other characteristics of
the product with the geographical area is not identified in accordance with Article 8(1), first subparagraph, point
(c)(ii), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. The Commission took into account that the product characteristics
claimed to be specific may be reproduced everywhere, namely the presence of Erzurum Civil Peynir (cheese) and
Erzurum Tereyağı (butter) in the production as well as the kneading process. The fact that the pastry is made within
the geographical area, without further elaborating on the specific characteristics of ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ and on the
link between the given quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product and its geographical origin was
considered not sufficient.
(7) Furthermore, the Commission pointed out that the single document referred to in Article 8(1), first subparagraph,
point (c), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012, submitted by the applicant, does not identify whether the link between
‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ and the demarcated geographical area is based on the reputation or the characteristics of
‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ essentially attributable to its geographical origin as requested by Article 5(2), point (b), of that
Regulation and by point 5 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014.
(8) Finally, the Commission explained that the product specification is lacking information on the procedures in place to
ensure traceability, namely the origin, destination and quantities of ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ and the raw materials used
for its production in accordance with Article 4 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 668/2014.
(9) In its reply of 2 September 2024, the applicant made account of the history of the Erzurum province and provided
historical references on the importance of products of the same category as ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’, namely water
pastry or Su Böreği, without focusing on the name of the product for which protection is sought.
(10) Moreover, the applicant did not provide any comments regarding the lack of information on the specific
characteristics of the final product bearing the name to be registered. The application as it stands merely describes a
common production process for all products of water pastry or Su Böreği which does not allow the product to be
identified.
(11) The applicant did not reply to the Commission’s comments regarding the absence of information about the link
between a given quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product and the geographical area.
Furthermore, the applicant did not identify whether the link between ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ and the demarcated
geographical area is based on the reputation or the characteristics of ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ essentially attributable to
its geographical origin.
(12) Lastly, the applicant did not provide the necessary information regarding the procedures to be applied by operators
with regard to the proof of origin of the product, raw materials, feed and other elements required to prove,
according to the specifications, that they come from the defined geographical area.
(13) In light of the above, the Commission considers that the application for registration ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ as PGI does
not fulfil the requirements laid down in Article 5(2), point (b), Article 8(1), first subparagraph, points (c)(i) and (ii) of
Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 and in Article 7(1) and point 5 of Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU)
No 668/2014.
(14) The application for protection of the name ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ as PGI should therefore be rejected.
(15) The measures provided for in this Decision are adopted in accordance with the opinion of the Quality Policy
Committee for agricultural products, wine and spirit drinks,
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1507/ojEN
OJ L, 29.7.2025
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The application for registration of the name ‘Erzurum Su Böreği’ as protected geographical indication (PGI) is rejected.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the applicant:
Erzurum Commodity Exchange (Erzurum Ticaret Borsası)
Kazım Karabekir Paşa Mah. Musalla Cad. No:23
Yakutiye, Erzurum
TÜRKIYE
Done at Brussels, 25 July 2025.
For the Commission
Christophe HANSEN
Member of the Commission
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/1507/oj 3/3