Galician mussel. (Photo: Porto-Muiños)

PDO Galician Mussel regulation nullity ratified

SPAIN
Tuesday, August 06, 2013, 03:30 (GMT + 9)

A Supreme Court ruling confirms the absolute invalidity of the regulation of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) 'Galician Mussel', which has been challenged by the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Seafood of Spain (Anfaco-Cecopesca).

The Supreme Court dismissed the cassation appeal filed by the legal representation of the Mussel Regulatory Council of Galicia against the judgment of the 2nd Section of the Division of Administrative Litigation of the Supreme Court of Justice of Galicia, in the wake of the lawsuit filed by Anfaco-Cecopesca.

The judgment was delivered on 16 July, 2013 and notified on 29 July.

By ratifying the absolute nullity of the Rules of the PDO Galician Mussel, approved by Order of 29 August, 2008, the Supreme Court took into account that "Anfaco was not formally considered in the open hearing process started during the development of such a general provision, and this despite the many precepts that in the regulations refer to the Galician canning and processing industry," Anfaco reported.

The Court also considered that "it does not seem to be wrong, but quite the contrary, as it follows from the proceeds of the judgment, Anfaco should be considered as an association representing the interests of the majority of the seafood canning sector in the Autonomous Community of Galicia; as one that was well known by the Administration, and as one whose serious concern was known due to the normative content of the future regulation of that designation of origin ".

Moreover, in its ruling the Court believes that it is "not wrong" to consider this sector "as directly affected by the rules of this regulation that governs aspects of its business that is related to the treatment, processing, packaging and marketing of canned mussel that intends to use the words 'Made with Protected Denomination of Origin Galician Mussel'."

Consulted by the newspaper Faro de Vigo on the new court ruling, the council president, Francisco Alcalde Garcia, stated that "the PDO is in full force and all that it affects is in an internal matter or technical question, which is the regulation."

He also said that the Regulatory Council had proposed to amend the regulations to provide entry to the industry because they understood that the processing sector must be built "to give more power to the Galician mussel sector," especially "considering the character that the market has been adopting in recent years."

He explained that the processing sector has stopped demanding "between 80 and 100 million kilos of mussels for the industry a year and this is causing an oversupply for the fresh fish market."

"If there is oversupply of products, prices fall and this is what leads to the poor current situation experienced by the Galician mussels," added Alcalde Garcia.

With respect to the judgment of the Supreme Court, the leader said that as soon as it is firm, "the Xunta will repeal the 2008 order, through which the regulations of the Council were approved."

And he emphasized that what we need to do from now on, and what we are working on, is on the "adaption of the rules to the new needs of the market."

Alcalde Garcia ruled out a possible confrontation between the Council and Anfaco.

"Of course what I think is that this controversy only benefits those producing and having interests in third countries. It is common sense for those of us supporting the Galician mussel to understand each other in order to protect our product, which consumers recognize and perfectly identify as the authentic Galician mussel," he claimed in the interview with Faro de Vigo.

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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