Euskal Sagardoa, towards the first Cross-border Designation of Origin

• Euskal Sagardoa/Sidra del País Vasco, Cidre du País Basque/Euskal Sagarnoa will be the name of the cross-border Designation of Origin.

• After receiving the approval from Brussels, the Navarra cider sector will also join Euskal Sagardoa.

Donostia, January 19, 2024. The Euskal Sagardoa Denomination of Origin, which turns 6 years old in 2024, has new features. The cider sector of Zuberoa, Behe Nafarroa and Lapurdi has shown its commitment to being part of said Designation of Origin. In fact, they share a name and even a cider. During the last few months, representatives of the sectors from both sides of the Pyrenees have been working on a proposal, with the collaboration of the INAO (National Institute of Origin and Quality of France) and the technical staff of HAZI and the coordination and support of the Basque Government and from Euskal Herria Hirigune Elkargoa. Once the agreement was reached, it was sent to the French and Spanish ministries, which have already launched the procedure to send the procedures from each country to the European Union.

At this time, once all the administrative authorizations have been received, the processing of the new features of Euskal Sagardoa is about to be finalized with Brussels. In Europe there is no other cross-border designation of origin with unique regulations and this will be the first to be created with this characteristic.

To account for all this, today the Minister of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment of the Basque Government, Arantxa Tapia, appeared at the Basque Government delegation in Donostia; the cross-border, European and international advisor of Euskal Herria Hirigune Elkargoa, Joseba Erramundeguy; the Minister of Rural Development and Environment of Navarra, Jose Mari Aierdi; and representing the cider sector, Unai Agirre, director of the Euskal Sagardoa Designation of Origin, and Bixintxo Aphaul, cider maker of Domaine Bordatto. In turn, representatives of the councils and the apple and cider sector were present at the event.

Euskal Sagardoa will extend from Gipuzkoa, Bizkaia and Álava also to Lapurdi, Behe Nafarroa and Zuberoa. In addition to expanding the geographical area, it has been agreed to include apple types from both sides of the border within the single regulations of the Denomination of Origin. Euskal Sagardoa/Sidra del País Vasco, Cidre du País Basque/Euskal Sagarnoa will be the name of the cross-border Designation of Origin.

Euskal Sagardoa will be the first drink with a Pyrenean cross-border designation of origin, with the same regulations and centralized management. The HAZI Control and Certification Area has already initiated contacts with the INAO so that the Designation of Origin is also approved in France and for HAZI to be the certifying entity.

On the other hand, once it receives authorization from Brussels, Navarra will also become part of the Designation of Origin. The Regulatory Council, the Basque Government and the Government of Navarra have committed to starting the procedure for incorporating the Navarrese cider sector into Euskal Sagardoa.