Proposal for a EU Council Decision regarding olive oil trading
On 28 September 2022, the European Commission adopted a proposal for an EU Council decision on potential new trade standards for olive oil, namely a new methodology for the analysis of waxes and fatty acid ethyl esters in olive oil products.
The Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) will have a session to be held between late November and early December to adopt a decision updating this methodology.
Because this decision could require changes to Regulation (EU) 1308/2013 which establishes a common organization of the markets in agricultural products, more specifically with regard to the marketing and product regulations for olive oil and table olives, the Commission considers it important that the Council adopts a decision on behalf of the European Union regarding this new methodology.
The draft Council decision proposes the following:
- requesting the Council to take a position on the EU’s behalf on the upcoming IOC session.
- establishing the power of the Council of Members of the IOC to agree to any other proposed changes to the trade standards of olive oil products without Council decision.
- acknowledging that this Council decision may need to be changed should new scientific or technical information be presented during the session.
- requiring the EU to request postponing the adoption of the decision regarding waxes and fatty acid ethyl esters should a new Council decision need to be made.
