WRITTEN QUESTION E-3066/00 by Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Seventh EU campaign to promote the consumption of olive oil.
Date: 2000-10-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common organisation of markets, olive oil, sales promotion

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/53

(2001/C 151 E/066)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3066/00

by Sergio Berlato (UEN) and Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(2 October 2000)

Subject: Seventh EU campaign to promote the consumption of olive oil

In view of the fact that:

(cid:129) almost a third of the total budget (€ 10,2 million of a total € 35 million) for the seventh EU campaign

(cid:145)Olive oil: the flavour that unites us(cid:146) has been allocated to Italy and Spain;

(cid:129) these two Member States are the two biggest producers and the two biggest consumers of olive oil
and therefore it seems wasteful to invest so significantly in promoting the consumption of a product
which in Italy and Spain is already widespread and widely known;

(cid:129) the previous six campaigns had poor results; they produced no significant increase in the consump-
tion of olive oil in certain Member States, such as France, the United Kingdom or Germany, even
though consumers there are highly interested in other constituents of the so-called (cid:145)Mediterranean diet(cid:146)
and have developed a considerable taste for them;

can the Commission say:

1. what allocations have been earmarked for the promotion of olive oil in the other Member States, both

in the seventh campaign and in the previous ones?

2. What publicity strategies and specific goals have these allocations been used for?

3. Who has been given responsibility for the promotional measures in these countries, and how were

they selected?

4. Why has the task of disseminating scientific knowledge on olive oil to doctors and health profes-
sionals in the 15 Member States been assigned to Hill & Knowlton (cid:129) Eurosciences Communication
(United Kingdom), in cooperation with the Institute of Atherosclerosis Research at the University of
Munster (Germany), without the involvement of any body from the Mediterranean area?

5. What proportion of the allocations for these Member States has been used and, if there have been any
savings, how were the funds originally allocated for olive oil promotion but not used for that purpose
reallocated?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2000)

The Commission is sending direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat a table

1.
with the information requested.

2.
The general objectives of the seventh campaign are to consolidate and develop the consumption in
the main producer Member States (Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal) and to boost the consumption in the
other Member States. The primary target group is the consumers. The second target group is intermedi-
aries between producers and consumers, such as journalists, the trade, doctors, nutritionists and chefs.

For the producer Member States the strategy aims to keep and encourage loyal consumers and to
modernise the image of olive oil in order to attract the younger consumers. For the other Member States
the strategies are to gain consumers who are presently not using olive oil and to increase the consumption
frequency and the use of the product among existing consumers. Both taste and health aspects will be
underlined. Given the importance of the market in the producer Member States, and in Germany, France,
Ireland and the United Kingdom, advertising campaigns are being carried out in all these Member States.
The campaign foresees medical and consumer public relations activities.

C 151 E/54

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Consumption has risen significantly since 1990/1991, (e.g. France (+ 181 %), United Kingdom (+ 329 %)
and Germany (+ 194 %)):

Campaign 1990/1991

Campaign 1998/1999

(1 000 tonnes)

France

United Kingdom

Germany

28

78,8

6,8

29,2

10,3

30,3

3.
The advertising and public relations activities, as well as the consumer panel studies were assigned by
means of an open call for tender procedure. A list of all the agencies retained for the seventh campaign is
sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament(cid:146)s Secretariat. This list also comprises the budget
foreseen for each of them and the Member State concerned.

4.
The same procedure was used for the research institute, which will develop and up-date, collect and
evaluate scientific material and examine, validate and control the health related material produced by the
advertising and public relations agencies.

The dissemination of scientific knowledge on the nutritional values of olive oil has been awarded in the
same way.

The seventh campaign is now running very well. It can therefore be foreseen that the available

5.
financial resources (35.3 M€) will be completely used. This was also true for the sixth campaign.

The Commission is now preparing the selection of an independent institute to conduct evaluations in
order to monitor the ongoing programme. This institute will also be chosen by tender procedure.

(2001/C 151 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3067/00

by Luciano Caveri (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 September 2000)

Subject: International Year of Mountains

As the United Nations has proclaimed 2002 the International Year of Mountains, the Alpine Convention
has begun to enter into force and a European Charter of Mountain Regions is currently under discussion,
the concept of (cid:145)mountains(cid:146) in the European context is increasingly being discussed in the Member States,
with particular reference to the different classificatory criteria applied under their respective national laws.
These discussions highlight not only the absence of any European Union definition of mountains, but also
the corresponding lack of any specific European policy on mountain areas, notwithstanding the fact that
such areas may be covered by existing regional policies and qualify for the funds available on various
grounds, as explained in a recent Commission publication on mountains in Europe.

What initiatives are planned in connection with the International Year of Mountains, and does the
Commission consider that it should draw up an appropriate strategy for Europe(cid:146)s mountains, including
specific measures, up to and beyond 2006, to address the need to identify the special characteristics of
mountain areas and their economic development?