C 448/42
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
25.11.2022
The reputation of the name ‘Olio Campania’ is based on the strong, age-old link between the territory, the olive trees, the oil and the culture still present in the Campania region.
Over the 2 500 years of the history of olive trees and oil in Campania, the unique and favourable conditions of the geographical area have fostered the spread of olive groves throughout the region, with the result that they are an important (and sometimes the only) source of income for the local populations.
The olive groves also protect the land, which is embellished by their immutable presence.
By the end of the 20th century, olive oil production in Campania had become the strategic linchpin in the culinary tradition, of pivotal importance and a pillar in the Mediterranean diet.
Famous American nutritionist Ancel Keys, the father of the Mediterranean diet who lived in Campania for over 40 years, claimed that Campania’s oil is of crucial importance, on account of its serum cholesterol-reducing properties that are beneficial to the cardiovascular system.
The reputation of ‘Olio Campania’ is supported by commercial and historical references, publications and documents that prove and bear testament to its prestige and renown.
Commercial invoices dating from 1991 to 2019 from firms Crom Olearia, Oleificio Rossomando, Oleificio F.lli Malandrino, Borrelli Giorgio & Figli, Fattorie Mediterranee and others include the designation ‘Olio Campania’ or ‘Olio extravergine d’oliva Campania’ in the product description section.
This designation also features on the labels of bottles placed on the market.
Some invoices from the firm Basso Fedele & Figli for the period 1989-2001 and the labels affixed to products for export also feature the words ‘Olio Campania’ or ‘Kampanien’ (the German translation).
In addition, international shipping company ‘Flotta Lauro’, which had its headquarters in Naples and used to be one of the world’s most famous cruise companies, marketed an olive oil produced in olive groves owned by the shipowner under the designation ‘Olio extra vergine della Campania’ on its shipping routes and used it on its cruise ships.
The Campania Region and the Committee tasked with promoting the product and its brand have also done a lot of work over the years to raise its profile, including participation in international events and fairs and the publication of a number of promotional materials.
One example of this is the international food fair CIBUS 2021, at which ‘Olio Campania’ PGI had its own information and promotional stand with sample bottles on display.
It was also featured in the Campania region’s stand at other sectoral fairs, such as Olio Capitale 2021 held in Trieste and the Warsaw Oil Festival of 2019.
The ‘Olio Campania’ PGI project was first presented at SOL 2017 in Verona, with an exhibition stand and a press conference, as well as on various occasions since then.
One example of the competitions is the Extrabio Campania prize (13th edition held in 2020) which focuses in particular on extra virgin olive oils from organic farms (to which the Campania region is particularly well suited).
More recently, the Committee for the PGI has also been one of the partners in organising and promoting ExtraCampania, a competition that awards prizes to the best oils produced in Campania.
‘Olio Campania’ PGI is also involved in an innovation project called ‘Box Narrante’ under Measure 16.1 of the RDP 2014-2020, which is currently at the implementation stage.
This project by a partnership headed by the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II offers innovative packages containing three types of extra virgin olive oils (including one ‘Olio Campania’ oil), with a view to informing consumers and gathering information on their appreciation for the product.
An interview with the researcher on the aims and content of the project was featured in the 31 January 2022 edition of the national online magazine AgroNotizie.
The designation is quoted or mentioned in many publications, which refer to the objectives and description of the product to promote it or analyse its commercial potential.
For example, the 2020 edition of the Guida agli Oli evo della Campania [Guide to the extra virgin olive oils from Campania] devotes a whole paragraph to it (page 15).
The ‘Olio Campania’ PGI project was also recently mentioned in leading national newspapers and agri-food networks such as Agricolae, TeatroNaturale, Olivo e Olio (ad litteram) and others, featuring interviews with university researchers and experts in the field.
Italy’s leading financial daily, Il Sole 24 Ore, also ran a feature article on the ‘Olio Campania’ PGI project on 21 December 2019.
The agency Ansa Terra e Gusto published a news item on 29 January 2022, which was picked up by other national networks and news programmes.
Fondazione Qualivita, the most important institution for promoting PDOs/PGIs, included an item on ‘Olio Campania’ PGI in one of its newsletters.
On 3 February 2022, the Il Mattino daily devoted a full page to ‘Olio Campania’ PGI in its weekly section on agri-food and the Sapori della Campania (tastes of Campania).
Leading Italian professional agricultural organisations have reported on their websites on the issue and the PGI project, highlighting its strategic importance for the sector.