Brussels, 30/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 30 January, the European Commission announced that it had adopted monthly quotas of olive oil from Tunisia between 1 February and 13 October 2015, in order to facilitate its export to the EU.
This decision increases the total export potential for the months of February and March from 5,000 to 18,000 tonnes (9,000 tonnes for each month), followed by 9,000 tonnes from April to October, without any changes to the overall quota for the year.
The flexibility this brings in will allow Tunisian operators to maximise their exports of olive oil free of customs duty to the EU, and thereby to take advantage of an excellent season, the European Commission explains. Olive oil is the main agricultural export from Tunisia to the European Union. The olive-growing sector is of vital importance to the country's economy: directly and indirectly, it employs more than 1 million people, or around one fifth of national agricultural employment.
This measure illustrates the EU's commitment to deepening its privileged partnership with Tunisia whilst the country is moving forward on a resolutely democratic path, the Commission states. Following the general and presidential elections in the country, the EU is determined to lend its political and financial support to the new authorities with a view to the reforms which are needed to consolidate the democratic gains and face the socio-economic challenges of the country, the Commission goes on to explain.
Association agreement. On the basis of the association agreement between the EU and Tunisia, Tunisian exports of olive oil to the EU are subject to an annual quota of 56,700 tonnes. The management of this quota is limited by maximum monthly quantities. As requested by Tunisia, the Commission decided to increase these monthly quotas to allow Tunisian operators to make the most out of their export potential. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the EU of Saturday, 31 January 2015 and will apply from 1 February. (LC)