COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC), concerning the elimination of the category ordinary virgin olive oil from Annex B of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015
Date: 2022-08-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: commodity agreement, international organisation, multilateral agreement, olive, olive oil, revision of an agreement

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 22.8.2022  SWD(2022) 217 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT       Accompanying the document Proposal for a  COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union in the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC), concerning the elimination of the category ordinary virgin olive oil from Annex B of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 {COM(2022) 411 final}  
 
 
Draft Decision No. DEC-III. 3/115-VI/2022 
concerning the elimination of the category ordinary 
virgin olive oil from Annex B of the International 
Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 

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DECISION No. DEC-III. 3/115-VI/2022 

CONCERNING THE ELIMINATION OF THE CATEGORY ORDINARY VIRGIN OLIVE 
OIL FROM ANNEX B OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ON OLIVE OIL AND 
TABLE OLIVES 

THE COUNCIL OF MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLIVE COUNCIL, 

Having  regard  to  the  International  Agreement  on  Olive  Oil  and  Table  Olives  2015,  in 
particular article 1 ‘Objectives of the Agreement’ concerning standardisation and research, 
with  regard  to  the  standardisation  of  national  and  international  legislation  and  the 
harmonisation  of  physico-chemical  and  organoleptic  analyses,  the  improvement  of 
knowledge of the compositional and quality characteristics of olive products with a view to 
consolidating  international  standards  that  allow  for  the  control  of  product  quality, 
international  trade  and  its  development,  the  protection  of  consumer  rights  and  the 
prevention  of  fraudulent  and  misleading  practices  and  adulteration,  and  Chapter  VI 
‘Provisions concerning standardisation’; 

Having regard to article 32.1 of the International Agreement, the International Olive Council 
may, through the Council of Members, amend the Agreement by consensus; 

Having regard to article 32.2 of the International Agreement, the Council of Members shall 
set the deadline for Members to notify the depositary of their acceptance of the amendment 
in question; 

Having regard to article 32.3 of the International Agreement, the amendment shall enter 
into  force  90  days  after  the  depositary  has  received  notification  of  its  acceptance  by  all 
Members; 

Having regard to the ongoing revision of the Codex Alimentarius standard CODEX STAN 
33/81; 

Having regard to the need for harmonisation between international standards to facilitate 
international trade and prevent confusion; 

Considering  the  unanimous  proposal  made  by  the  Quality  Strategy  Expert  Group  at  its 
meetings in April 2021 and in May 2022; 

Considering  the  recommendations  made  at  the  10th  meeting  of  the  Committee  on 
Chemistry and Standardisation during the 115th session of the Council of Members; 

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DECIDES 

1. 

To remove the category of ordinary virgin olive oil from Annex B under Designations 
and definitions of olive oils and olive pomace oils of the International Agreement on 
Olive  Oil  and  Table  Olives  2015,  allowing  a  transitional  period  of  four  years  for 
countries that produce this category on 1 January 2026. 

The removal of this category will result in its removal from the Trade Standard and 
the parameters for the rest of the categories will be revised following its removal. 

2. 

Members  shall  notify  the  depositary  of  their  acceptance  of  the  amendment  in 
question before negotiations begin for the new International Agreement on Olive Oil 
and Table Olives. 

Mr. Kaled Musa Al Henefat 
Chair of the International Olive Council 

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