WRITTEN QUESTION P-1763/00 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Crisis in the olive oil market ‐ proposal to amend Regulation (EEC) No. 2568/91 and establishment of a Community database.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common agricultural policy, designation of origin, olive oil

6.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 72 E/111

In order to assess whether this practice may be contrary to Community law provisions, the Commission is
in the process of examining the circumstances of this charter arrangement. It has thus written to both the
Greek government and Olympic Airways to establish whether the arrangement, when taking into account
other airlines flying to the same destinations in Greece, was appropriate.

(1) OJ L 240, 24.8.1992.

(2001/C 72 E/139)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1763/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Crisis in the olive oil market (cid:129) proposal
establishment of a Community database

to amend Regulation (EEC) No. 2568/91 and

The statement by the Commission, made in its answer to my question of 25 January 2000, that the
quantities of olive oil imported are not sufficient to disrupt the Community market overlooks completely
the true cause of the problem, which lies in the restrictions introduced by Regulation (EEC) 2568/91,
which does not allow for an analysis to determine whether hazelnut oil is present in olive oil imported
into Italy where the proportions of the two oils are duly calculated.

Even more baffling is the Commission(cid:146)s assertion that the blending of olive oils of different origins is not
forbidden and may even be essential for oils from certain regions in order to provide consumers with the
quality of oil they require. It is the responsibility of European law (cid:129) Council Directives 89/395/EEC (1) and
89/396/EEC (2) of 14 June 1989 and Regulation (EEC) No 2815/98 (3) (cid:129) to ensure the integrity of a food
product in terms of its labelling and health aspects and it is also vital to provide consumers with correct
information on the product they are purchasing, enabling them to choose freely the type of oil they want
(PDO, PGI, registered designation of origin, normal extravirgin, corn oil, other seed oils, etc.).

This is confirmed by the fact that the EU itself, by recognising some 20 PDO oils and one PGI oil in Italy,
has established the principle that not only is the identification of a geographical region of origin not a
(cid:145)limit(cid:146) that can be exceeded by (cid:145)blending(cid:146), but also represents an advantage. It should also be added that it is
now possible to identify scientifically the origin of an oil and all its characteristics by means of gas-
chromatographic analysis of methylic esters and components of the unsaponifiable fraction and combined
pyrolysis mass spectrometry analysis.

In the light of the above considerations, what are the Commissions intentions as regards the amendment
of Commission Regulation (EEC) 2568/91 of 11 July 1991 (cid:129) or the adoption of a new regulation (cid:129) and
the setting up of a Community olive oil database as a single analytical instrument capable of determining
with scientific accuracy the geographical origin of an oil?

(1) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 17.
(2) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 21.
(3) OJ L 349, 24.12.1998, p. 56.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(26 June 2000)

In the opinion of chemical experts, there is as yet no analytical method for detecting hazelnut oil in olive
oil. The Commission is encouraging research on this, and the signs are that a (perhaps partial) solution is
imminent. As soon as a reliable method is available, the Commission will adopt the necessary changes to
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 of 11 July 1991 on the characteristics of olive oil and olive-
residue oil and on the relevant methods of analysis (1).

C 72 E/112

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.3.2001

Current statistical methods for determining olive oils(cid:146) geographical origin via a database contain inherent
inaccuracies which may cause oils to be wrongly classified, but the Commission is following with great
interest the research being undertaken into improving those methods.

(1) OJ L 248, 5.9.1991.

(2001/C 72 E/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1764/00

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Council

(5 June 2000)

Subject: Freedom of the press in Russia

Does the Council believe that the search carried out by the FSB (the former KGB) in the offices of the
independent MediaMost Press Group is an indication of a new climate, 10 years after the fall of the Berlin
Wall and some years after the abolition of Communism in Russia?

Is the Council concerned about this attack on the freedom of the press and on MediaMost and its television
station, NTV, whose President, Vladimir Goussinsky, is also an important figure in the Russian Jewish
Community?

Will the Council ask the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to ensure freedom of expression and to
denounce such practices, unacceptable in a state based on the rule of law, is a member of the Council of
Europe and which hopes, one day, to join the European Union?

Reply

(26 September 2000)

The Council noted with concern the search carried out by the FSB in the offices of the MediaMost Press
Group. It has repeatedly stressed to the Russian authorities, notably at the EU-Russia Summit on 29 May,
that freedom and independence of the media are an essential component of any democratic, free and open
society. Respect for fundamental democratic principles is a cornerstone of the partnership between the EU
and Russia and an essential element of the PCA.

Support for consolidation of Russian public institutions, particularly its executive, legislative and judicial
bodies in accordance with democratic principles is among the principal objectives of the EU(cid:146)s Common
Strategy on Russia. The Council will continue supporting democratic reforms in Russia and closely
following developments in this area, with particular attention to the freedom of the media.

(2001/C 72 E/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1768/00

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(31 May 2000)

Subject: The Hallmarking of Precious Metals

At present, there is no harmonisation of weight limits above which hallmarking is compulsory. In the UK
it is 7,78 gm for sterling silver, whereas in Holland it is 1 gm, causing problems when selling goods there,
even when they have been marked by the Assay Office in Britain.

Would the Commission give further consideration to a practical solution to this, which would be to
harmonise the weight limit throughout the EU, thus creating a level platform in the supply of precious
metal jewellery?