On Thursday 21 June, Salvatore Cicu MEP (EPP, Italy) questioned the usefulness of the additional annual zero-duty import quotas for Tunisian olive oil in the European Union in 2016 and 2017, pointing out that these quotas are under-used.
"Of the 70,000 tonnes that are granted, only 2,557 tonnes have been used. We are thus a long way from the volume granted by the EU", Ciciu stated at a review of EU-Tunisia trade relations that took place in the European Parliament's international trade committee.
To help Tunisia when it was affected by a fall in tourism following the terrorist attacks of 2015, the EU decided to increase the annual zero-duty import quota for Tunisian olive oil into the EU (provided for under the 1995 association agreement) by 35,000 tonnes per year in 2016 and 2017.
When in Brussels on 24 April, Tunisia's Prime Minister Youssef Chahed asked European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for an extension of this arrangement for 2018. The two parties agreed on a quota of an additional 30,000 tonnes (see EUROPE 12008).
"I don't think there is any discussion to be had on a possible extension of this arrangement. We can't discuss an ambitious project like (the future EU-Tunisia free trade agreement – see EUROPE 12046) and still provide assistance that is of benefit to no one", Cicu stated.
"The issue of quotas, which are spread over the year, is difficult for us to manage. We have suffered strong variations in production with three years of drought during which we were not able to ensure these exports to Europe", Karim Daoud, a leader of the Tunisian agricultural union Synagri, stated.
"Tunisia depends on the evolution of production in Spain, Italy and other EU countries. If production is big in Europe, we have more problems exporting. The issue of quotas needs to be reviewed as part of the free trade agreement", Daoud continued, underlining the need for an "enormous" amount of work to promote geographical indications for high quality Tunisian olive oil. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)