A new report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has identified shortcomings in the EU’s olive oil control system that may put the product’s quality, safety and traceability at risk.
According to the report, the EU is the world’s leading producer, exporter and consumer of olive oil, accounting for 61% of global production, 65% of exports and 45% of consumption.
At the same time, it imports the equivalent of around 9% of its annual olive oil production.
Systemic Vulnerabilities
Olive oil is a strictly controlled product, with the EU mandating minimum standards for labelling, category verification and pesticide testing.
However, the auditors discovered that some conformity checks are inadequate, and certain market segments are not always included in risk-based inspections.
Such omissions create systemic vulnerabilities that could compromise quality and erode consumer trust.
Member states’ oversight of olive oil traceability varies during food safety and conformity checks.
Countries like Spain and Italy, for example, use electronic registers to track the origin of olives and olive oil throughout their entire supply chains.
Inconsistent Controls, Legalities
The audit found that although checks for pesticide residues in EU-produced olive oil are generally effective, controls for other contaminants are less developed.
Notably, some rules regarding blending and traceability lack clarity, leading to inconsistent national practices.
Tracking olive oil across borders proves difficult, especially when it originates from multiple EU countries or a mix of EU and non-EU sources.
Additionally, certain legal requirements – such as those regarding the blending of oils from different harvests or categories – lack sufficient detail.
The auditors also found that checks for pesticides and other contaminants in olive oil imported from non-EU countries were either non-existent or sporadic in the member states they visited.
Joëlle Elvinger, the ECA member in charge of the audit, explained, “Consumers must be able to trust the quality and authenticity of the olive oil they buy.
“While the EU has robust rules, they are not always fully applied.
“Improving checks, traceability, and legal clarity is essential to protect not only consumers, but also the reputation of European olive oil.”
Report Recommendations
The report indicates that the European Commission has an incomplete understanding of how national control systems operate, due to insufficient information-sharing.
To address these issues, the ECA recommends that the Commission enhance its oversight of national systems, clarify and improve specific rules and requirements, and improve support to member states, to improve traceability.
The audit covered Belgium, Greece, Italy and Spain from 2018 to 2023.
Together, the latter three countries account for approximately 91% of the EU’s total olive oil production.
Dining and Cooking