COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2026/620

| Official Journal of the European Union | EN L series ---|---|--- * * * | 2026/620 | 27.3.2026 ---|---|--- COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2026/620 of 19 March 2026 rejecting an application for protection of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council ‘Piešťanské bahno’ (PDO) (notified under document C(2026) 1792) (Only the Slovak text is authentic) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (1), and in particular Article 21(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) | Pursuant to Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, the Commission has examined the application for registration of the name ‘Piešťanské bahno’ as a protected designation of origin (PDO), submitted by Slovakia on 31 March 2025 (PDO-SK-03413). ---|--- (2) | Slovakia indicated that the product designated as ‘Piešťanské bahno’ is a bio-based peloid formed at the headspring of the thermal medicinal water found in the river Váh. Slovakia classified it as an agricultural product stating that the basic raw material for ‘Piešťanské bahno’ is natural thermal water mixed with the sediment of floodplains. Therefore, in view of the fact that waters, including natural or artificial mineral waters, fall within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, Slovakia considered that the product ‘Piešťanské bahno’, which is based on natural thermal water, also falls within the scope of that Regulation and that it should be classified under the Combined Nomenclature heading CN 2201 90 (being ‘Other’ under heading 2201: Waters, including natural or artificial mineral waters and aerated waters, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter nor flavoured; ice and snow). ---|--- (3) | Following the scrutiny of the application for registration of ‘Piešťanské bahno’, the Commission concluded that the application does not fulfil the conditions for registration under Regulation (EU) 2024/1143. In particular, in accordance with Article 1, first paragraph, of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, that Regulation lays down the rules, among others, on protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications for agricultural products, including foodstuffs, as referred to in Article 5(1), point (c), and in accordance with Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, Title II of that Regulation covers, among others, agricultural products, namely agricultural products, including foodstuffs and fishery and aquaculture products, listed under Chapters 1 to 23 of the Combined Nomenclature set out in Part two of Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 (2), and agricultural products under the Combined Nomenclature headings set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, except wine and spirit drinks. The product designated as ‘Piešťanské bahno’ is neither an agricultural product listed under Chapters 1 to 23 of the Combined Nomenclature set out in Part two of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87, nor an agricultural product under the Combined Nomenclature headings set out in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2024/1143. Even if the product designated as ‘Piešťanské bahno’ might be based on mineral water or contains mineral water, it is a different product – a peloid with curative or cosmetic properties and cannot be classified under the Combined Nomenclature heading CN 2201 90 proposed by Slovakia. As such it falls outside of the scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143. Consequently, the Commission sent a letter on 8 August 2025 informing the applicant of the results of its assessments and of its intention to launch the procedure for the adoption of a formal Commission decision rejecting the application pursuant to Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, unless the application is withdrawn. ---|--- (4) | On 14 October 2025 Slovakia replied to the Commission that it maintained the application in its original, unamended form. The reply did not contain any further arguments supporting the classification of the product under the Combined Nomenclature heading CN 2201 90 , as originally proposed by Slovakia. ---|--- (5) | In the light of the above, the Commission considers that the application for registration of ‘Piešťanské bahno’ as a PDO concerns a product which falls outside of the scope of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 and should therefore be rejected. ---|--- (6) | The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Quality Policy Committee for agricultural products, wine and spirit drinks, ---|--- HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The application for registration of the name ‘Piešťanské bahno’ as protected designation of origin (PDO) is rejected. Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Slovak Republic. Done at Brussels, 19 March 2026. For the Commission Christophe HANSEN Member of the Commission * * * (1) OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj. (2) Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff (OJ L 256, 7.9.1987, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1987/2658/oj). * * * ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/620/oj ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition) * * *