Brussels, 18/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - The decision to grant Tunisia a duty-free olive oil quota was “planned as a temporary measure that could improve Tunisia's short-term economic situation” and it is consequently limited in time and should not prejudice the negotiations between the EU and Tunisia on establishing a deep and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA). “Consequently, the Commission has no reason to suspend the process”, the European Commission replied to Nicola Caputo MEP (S&D, Italy) on Wednesday 11 November.
Caputo had sent the Commission a written question, expressing his concern at the decision to grant Tunisia a duty-free olive oil quota. “European production of olive oil is already fragile and certainly not in a position to resist additional measures to those already decided (Ed: no details given)”, Caputo stated. He quoted the figure of 56.7 million tonnes, which the Commission was quick to correct to 56,700 tonnes. Caputo asked the Commission to postpone this measure because “actions of socio-economic solidarity towards the EU's trading partners should not take place to the detriment of Europe's main economic sectors”. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)