The study looks into how conformity checks in the olive oil sector pursuant to EU legislation are currently organised and performed in all EU Member States, taking into account the existing inherent differences between producing and non-producing countries. It illustrates in detail how category and labelling checks on olive oil are planned and conducted by enforcement authorities besides identifying best practices at national level.
While, overall, the EU system regulating conformity checks is considered fit for purpose by the stakeholders consulted during the study, there are a number of areas where certain improvements are desirable, notably with regard to the performance of organoleptic tests, cooperation on cross-border cases involving non-compliances or suspected frauds and communication of results of conformity checks, amongst others. Taking this into account, the study puts forward a number of policy recommendations with a view to further improving the effectiveness of the EU system.
The report is available at https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/606555af-46ff-11ea-b81b-01aa75ed71a1