Brussels, 29/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The organisations Copa and Cogeca have once again expressed their concern following the European Parliament vote to increase “significantly” duty-free import quota of Tunisian olive oil (see EUROPE 11499).
Copa-Cogeca, which is asking the Council to take account of a number of Parliament amendments which provide safeguards, says that this decision puts EU producers' livelihoods at risk.
Andres Pinatel, who chairs the olive oil and table olives working party, says that the EU has abundant supplies of good quality olive oil after a good harvest. “Prices are down since the Commission announced this proposal. Now MEPs have agreed with it and the duty free import quota for Tunisian olive oil will be raised by 35,000 tonnes annually for a two-year period. This increase is equivalent to 20% of the Italian market. And the quality is nowhere near the same standard as that in the EU”, he stated. He pointed out that the Parliament had additional conditions and safeguards, including a mid-term review by the Commission on the impact on the EU olive oil market, and an obligation to ensure that all olive oil under the quota is obtained entirely in, and transported directly from, Tunisia. In addition, “the possibility for extension of the emergency measure beyond the initial two years was rejected”. Copa-Cogeca point out that olive oil production is very important for the economies of EU rural areas, especially in Southern countries. “Without this production, these less-favoured areas would be doomed to economic failure, as they cannot turn to any other alternative types of agriculture, thus making land abandonment inevitable.”
Ahead of the upcoming inter-institutional trialogue to negotiate a compromise of the proposal, Copa-Cogeca calls on the Council to take into account these additional requirements approved by MEPs, as this increased quota will have an economic impact on EU producers. “This unilateral measure from the EU must remain an exceptional measure in exceptional circumstances”, it argues. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)