Brussels, 20/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - The "Brioche de Vendée" association has made a request for the brioche from the Vendée to be registered under a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The request has been published in the Official Journal in order to allow the relevant authorities of EU Member States or of third countries to raise objection if they so wish. If no opposition is forthcoming, the brioche from the Vendée may rapidly have the protection requested at European level.
Always presented fresh, the brioche from the Vendée is golden and plaited in a round, oval or bar-shaped form, the request states, specifying that this brioche is produced from a dough that is rich in sugar and eggs. The geographical area covers all of the Vendée and, but in part only, the French departments of Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres and Charente Maritime. The request also states that the plaited brioches from the Vendée represent, according to the statistical institutes, 11% of the French pastries market and 17% of the brioche market, amounting to 15,000 tonnes. For more information on the production of the brioche, see Official Journal C187 of 7 August 2003.