Brussels, 05/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Tunisia have agreed to postpone for this year the previous scheme relating to EU imports of Tunisian olive oil, which in principal was only valid till last December 31. Therefore, from the 1 January till 31 December 2000, 46,000 tons of olive oil from Tunisia can enter the European market with a duty of EUR 7.81 per 100 Kg. It concerns untreated olive oil (subheading 1509 10 10 and 1509 10 90 of the combined nomenclature) entirely obtained in Tunisia and directly transported towards the EU.
Meanwhile, the re-examination of the position continues so a to set the planned scheme as of 1 January 2001. EUROPE recalls that it concerns a sensitive dossier, due to the importance of these exports for the Tunisian economy and for the EU's internal problems concerning the origin and labelling of olive oil commercialised by EU companies (olive oil sold under an Italian brand must be completely Italian?).