Navarra and Iparralde will join the cross-border designation of origin Euskal Sagardoa

The Basque government, Euskal Hirigune Elkargoa and the government of Navarra have made significant progress in integrating apple and cider producers from Navarre And Iparralde to the Designation of Origin Euskal Sagardoawith the recently signed agreement.

‘Euskal Sagardoa-Cider of the Basque Country-Cidre du Pays Basque-Euskal Sagarnoa’ is the name of the new designation of origin that will welcome producers from Euskadi, Navarra and Iparralde – a total of 400 apple producers and 60 cider makers – and will become the first cross-border creation brand in Europe.

At a press conference in San Sebastián, the Minister of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government, Arantxa Tapia, said; the representative of New Aquitaine, Joseba Erramundeguy; the Minister of Rural Development and Environment of Navarra, José María Aierdi; and the director of the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin, Unai Agirre, and the cider maker Bixintxo Aphaul, have announced that Iparralde and Navarra have agreed to join the Euskal Sagardoa Denomination, which will celebrate its six-year anniversary in 2024.

Tapia explained that “representatives of the sectors from both sides of the Pyrenees have been working on a proposal in recent months, in collaboration with the National Institute of Origin and Quality of France (INAO), the technical staff of HAZI and the coordination and support of the Basque Government and Euskal Herria Hirigune Elkargoa and once the agreement was reached it was sent to the French and Spanish ministries.

As he noted, both ministries “have already launched the procedure to send the procedures of each country to the European Union” and have currently “ever received all the information” administrative permissionsthe processing of the new functions of Euskal Sagardoa is about to be finalized with Brussels.”

The institutions involved estimate that the Common Denomination of Origin will be in force next summer, so that the first cider harvest to be certified would be September-October 2024.

The advisor emphasized this “in Europe there is no other cross-border designation of origin with uniform regulations” adding that “in addition to expanding the geographical area” of the denomination, it has “been agreed to include within this one ordinance the varieties of apples from both sides of the border.”

Once Europe gives approval, which could be by the summer, the name will be called ‘Euskal Sagardoa/Sidra del País Vasco, Cidre du País Basque/Euskal Sagarnoa’. Euskal Sagardoa will then be the first drink with a cross-border designation of origin from the Pyrenees, “with the same regulations and centralized management”, Tapia emphasizes.

To this, he added that “the HAZI Control and Certification Zone has already established contacts with the INAO so that the designation of origin is also approved in France and so that HAZI becomes the certifying entity.” On the other hand, once Navarre receives permission from Brussels, it will also become part of the designation of origin. The Board of Supervisors, the Basque Government and the Government of Navarre have already committed to starting the procedure for the integration of the Navarrese cider sector into Euskal Sagardoa.

Erramundeguy has appreciated the “collaboration” with the Basque executive and welcomed the “cross-border dimension” that this “emblematic quality product”, which reflects “our common heritage and culture”, will have.

For his part, Aierdi has emphasized that the three governments involved in this project “have a lot in common”, as they share “imaginary” but also “a strategy to support and promote local products” and for a “living and active” rural development. world.”.

Finally, he acknowledged that although the bureaucratic path “will not be easy”, the three institutions “have the will to move together” on this issue.

On the other hand, once it gets permission from Brussels, Navarre It will also become part of the Designation of Origin. The Board of Supervisors, the Basque Government and the Government of Navarre have committed to starting the procedure for the integration of the Navarrese cider sector into Euskal Sagardoa.