Food manufacturers keen to use the positive image of olive oil will have to follow strict guidelines laid down by the European Commission on Thursday. The Commission has adopted new rules that detail clearer marketing standards for olive oil intended to help shoppers throughout the EU.
The decision provides a clear framework for the labelling and presentation of olive oil in the shops. It also covers the presentation of mixes of olive oil with other vegetable oils as well as foodstuffs highlighting in the label the presence of olive oil.
"To meet our goal to better promote olive oil, we need more coherent rules. With today's decision, olive oil will have to be marketed in clearer way. Shoppers will see uniform rules and clear labelling across the EU", said Franz Fischler, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries.
In July 2001 the Council adopted the Council Regulation (EC) 1513/2001 of 23 July 2001 which prolonged the existing aid regime by three marketing years (2001/2002 to 2003/2004) and which had particular provisions with regard to a new classification of olive oil setting out four categories: "extra virgin olive oil", "virgin olive oil", "olive oil composed of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil" and "olive-pomace oil".
The new rules cleared on Thursday lay down the requirement that olive oil should not be sold in containers of more than five litres with a closing system where the seal is broken after first use and has proper labelling including the above-mentioned descriptions of the various categories of olive oils.
With regard to mixtures of olive oil with other vegetable oils, the new regulation prohibits highlighting the presence of olive oil on the label, unless olive oil represents a minimum of 50 per cent of the oil.
A food manufacturer keen to use the positive image of olive oil to sell margarine, sauces, mayonnaise, and canned products like vegetables and fish must either indicate the share of olive oil in the total weight of the product or the percentage of olive oil as percentage of the total fat contained in the product on the label.
Current legislation such as the labelling directive and the yellow fats regulation remain in force. The new Regulation enters into force on 1 November 2002. It foresees a transitional period in order to allow existing containers and labels to be exhausted. However, as far as labelling of the new definitions and descriptions is concerned, it is applicable as from 1 November 2003.