(1)

The International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (the ‘Agreement’) was signed on behalf of the Union in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892 (1) on 18 November 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement entered into force provisionally on 1 January 2017 in accordance with Article 31(2) thereof.

(2)

The Agreement was concluded on 17 May 2019 on behalf of the Union by Council Decision (EU) 2019/848 (2).

(3)

Pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Agreement, the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (‘the Council of Members’) is to adopt decisions amending trade standards applying to olive oils and olive pomace oils.

(4)

During its 113th session from 28 to 30 June 2021, the Council of Members is to adopt decisions amending trade standards applying to olive oils and olive pomace oils (the ‘amending decisions’).

(5)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Council of Members, as the amending decisions to be adopted will have legal effects on the Union as regards international trade with the other members of the International Olive Coucnil (IOC) and will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely on marketing standards concerning olive oil adopted by the Commission pursuant to Article 75 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3).

(6)

The amending decisions to be adopted by the Council of Members concern changing the limits for some chemical parameters of olive oils and olive pomace oils and modifying one method of analysis. Changes to the limits comprise substituting the limit for α-tocopherol in refined oils by a reference to Good Manufacturing Practices, fixing the limit of oleic and palmitic acid in olive oils and olive pomace oils and fixing a limit for erythrodiol in refined oils. The method of analysis refers to the determination of the stigmastadienes content in vegetable oils. The amending decisions have been extensively discussed between scientific and technical experts on olive oil of the Commission and of the Member States. The amending decisions will contribute to the international harmonisation of olive oil standards and will establish a framework which will ensure fair competition in the trading of products of the olive oil sector. The amending decisions should therefore be supported.

(7)

In case the adoption of the amending decisions during the 113th session of the Council of Members is postponed, as a result of some Members not being in a position to give their approval, the position to support the adoption of the amending decisions should be taken on behalf of the Union within the framework of a possible procedure for adoption by the Council of Members by exchange of correspondence, pursuant to Article 10(6) of the Agreement. The procedure for adoption by exchange of correspondence should be initiated before the next regular session of the Council of Members in November 2021.

(8)

In order to preserve the interest of the Union, if the position to be taken on behalf of the Union is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented before or during the 113th session, the representatives of the Union in the Council of Members should be allowed to request to postpone the adoption of the amending decisions to a later session,