It is hereby being notified that a revised application for the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) as defined by EU Regulation no. 1151 of 2012 on Quality Schemes for Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs was received by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA), the national competent authority with regard to quality schemes. The relevant details of the revised dossier and further information is given below:

Applicant: ‘Xirka Produtturi Nagħaġ u Moġħoż’

for the following terms (in italics):          

‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’; (plural = ‘Ġbejniet tan-nagħaġ’)

for PDO status in the Class 1.3. Cheeses

Brief description of the product to which the terms above apply:

The ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ is a fresh cheese produced with whole raw milk from sheep of the ‘Maltese’ breed and its crosses, and that are registered in the Maltese archipelago islands, including Malta, Gozo and Comino.

The ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ can be sold fresh (‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ friska’), air-dried (‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ niexfa’) or pickled and peppered (‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ tal-bżar’).

Extended consultation

The extended consultation period of one month as stipulated in Regulation 7.6 of the Geographical Indications and Designations Regulations of 2004 (SL 427.52) is open as from the date of the publication in the Government Gazette. After which, if there are no objections or representations forwarded to the MCCAA, transitional national protection will be placed on the terms, until the dossier is submitted to the European Commission and assessed and decided on by the European Commission and Member States of the European Union.

Any interested stakeholder may comment or object to the revised application in writing by means of a formal letter addressed to the Director General, Technical Regulations Division, MCCAA also stating the nature of their interest, within one month from the start of the consultation. Any objections received after the end of the one-month period of consultaion will not be considered.

End of consultation: 24^th June 2022 (COB)

The Consultation document including the ‘Single Document’ and full product specification: -

‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ Single Document

‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ Product Specification

Accredited Lab Letter for ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’

Appendix A - ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’

Appendix B - ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ friska’ 

Appendix C - 'Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ niexfa'

Appendix D - ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ tal-bżar' 

Appendix E - ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ history

Appendix F - ‘Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ’ Corfilac project 

Further information can be obtained by contacting the MCCAA via email: consultations.mccaa@mccaa.org.mt or telephone no. 2395 2000.