Introductory text

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Whereas:

Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs^f1 lays down the conditions to be met in order for a name to be registered as a protected geographical indication (PGI) or a protected designation of origin (PDO).

Council Regulation (EC) No 509/2006 of 20 March 2006 on agricultural products and foodstuffs as traditional specialities guaranteed^f2 lays down the conditions to be met in order for a name to be registered and protected at Community level as a traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG).

In order to resolve certain complex scientific and technical problems which may arise in examining the conditions allowing the registration of a particular protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication or traditional speciality guaranteed, the Commission may need to call upon the expertise of specialists in an advisory group.

The group should be made up of highly qualified experts from a wide range of scientific and technical disciplines related to agriculture and the agri-food industry, human sciences and intellectual property rights.

The scientific group of experts for designations of origin, geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed should therefore be set up and its terms of reference and structures detailed.

The scientific committee for designations of origin, geographical indications and certificates of specific character set up by Decision 93/53/EEC of 21 December 1992^f3 should be disbanded,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: