Document ID: 32007R0702

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 702/2007
of 21 June 2007
amending Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 on the characteristics of olive oil and olive-residue oil and on the relevant methods of analysis
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 865/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the common organisation of the market in olive oil and table olives and amending Regulation (EEC) No 827/68 (1), and in particular Article 5(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 (2) defines the physical and chemical characteristics of olive oils and olive-residue oils and the methods of analysis of these characteristics. These methods, and the limit values for the characteristics of oils, must be updated on the basis of the opinion of chemical experts and in line with the work carried out within the International Olive Oil Council.
(2)
In particular, the chemical experts have concluded that the quantification of the percentage of 2-glyceryl monopalmitate is more precise for the detection of esterified oils. Decreasing the limit value for stigmastadiene in virgin olive oils also makes it possible to achieve better separation of virgin olive oils and refined olive oils.
(3)
In order to allow a period of adjustment to the new standards, to give time for introducing the means of applying them and to avoid disturbance to commercial transactions, the amendments to this Regulation should not apply until 1 January 2008. For the same reasons, provision should be made for olive oil and olive-residue oils that are legally manufactured and labelled in the Community or legally imported into the Community and released for free circulation before that date to be marketed until all stocks are used up.
(4)
The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Olive Oil and Table Olives,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 is amended as follows:
1.
The sixth indent of Article 2(1) is replaced by the following:
‘-
for the determination of the percentage of 2-glyceryl monopalmitate, the method set out in Annex VII,’.
2.
The Annexes are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall apply from 1 January 2008.
However, products which have been legally manufactured and labelled in the Community or legally imported into the Community and released for free circulation before 1 January 2008 may be marketed until all stocks are used up.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 21 June 2007.

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