WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4049/98 by Eolo PARODI , Guido VICECONTE Advertising of olive-oil-based margarines and their composition
Date: 1999-01-13
Institutions: European Parliament, PARODI, VICECONTE
Subjects: advertising, agricultural surplus, consumer information, dietary product, eating habits, food consumption, market stabilisation, nutrition, olive oil, sales promotion

29.11.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 341/29

the event of a recognised threat to public health. Epidemiological surveillance of hepatitis in Europe will be one
of the network’s priorities.

The organisation of screening for these diseases is the responsibility of the Member States. At the
Commission’s initiative, a study of the different aspects of screening for the human immuno-deficiency
virus (HIV) is being undertaken and will be available during the second quarter of 1999.

As regards compensation, several Member States have specific schemes to help persons who have become
infected through transfusion of a defective blood product, responsibility for which lies with the Member States.

(1) Decision 647/96/EC of 29 March 1996, OJ C 95, 16.4.1996.
(2) Decision 2119/98/EC of 24 September 1998, OJ L 268, 3.10.1998.

(1999/C 341/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4049/98

by Eolo Parodi (PPE) and Guido Viceconte (PPE) to the Commission

Subject: Advertising of olive-oil-based margarines and their composition

(13 January 1999)

Recent advertising campaigns in various European countries have been making claims about the dietary
benefits of olive-oil-based hard margarine. In actual fact, according to scientific analyses carried out on behalf
of a specialized publication, in view of the low percentage of olive oil in the margarine 8 which consists
mainly of saturated fats 8 it cannot be considered as a solid substitute for traditional olive oil, as the advertisers
would have us believe.

Can the Commission therefore say what measures it intends to take to protect consumers and safeguard extra
virgin olive oil, its image and its universally acknowledged dietary properties?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(18 March 1999)

In the framework of the common agricultural policy (CAP) and on the basis of Council Regulation (EEC)
1970/80 of 22 July 1980 laying down general implementing rules for campaigns aimed at promoting the
consumption of olive oil in the Community (1), the Community has carried out promotional programmes
since the early 1980s. The aim is to increase the consumption of products in surplus and thereby contribute to
the stabilisation of the markets. The seventh campaign to promote the consumption of olive oil in the
Community will be launched in spring 1999 and will cover all the Member States with a total budget of
approximately 15 million euro a year for three consecutive years for the dissemination of scientific knowledge
on nutritional aspects of olive oil, and measures like advertising, public relations and promotion. All
information to the public is based on objective and accurate scientific information on the nutritional aspects
of olive oil. All communication material is checked by a research institute which specialises in the health-
related aspects of nutrition. Olive oil will be promoted in the context of the ‘Mediterranean diet’, which has
been proved to have positive effects on health.

Article 2 of Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on approximation of the laws of the Member
States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs for sale to the ultimate consumer (2)
requires that labelling must not be such as could mislead purchasers to a material degree by attributing to
foodstuffs effects or properties they do not possess. Ensuring respect for this provision is a matter for the
Member States.

(1) OJ L 192, 26.7.1980 and OJ L 288, 31.10.1980.
(2) OJ L 33, 8.2.1979.