On 4 November 2022, the European Commission (EU) issued Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2105, which sets out the rules for the inspection of the marketing standards of olive oil and the methods for analyzing the characteristics of olive oil. It will come into force on 20 days after its publication. The main contents are as follows:

(1) Scope:

(a)the checks of conformity with marketing standards for the olive oils referred to in Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104 and their implementation by operators;

(b)the cooperation and assistance between competent authorities with regard to the conformity checks referred to in point (a);

(c)the records to be kept by operators who produce or hold olive oil and the approval of packaging plants;

(d)the methods of analysis for determining the characteristics of olive oil.(2) the obligations of member States regarding compliance checks;

(3) Frequency of conformity checks and risk analysis: For the purposes of this Article, ‘olive oil marketed’ means the total quantity of olive oil that is made available on the market in a Member State and exported from that Member State. Member States shall carry out at least one conformity check per year per thousand tonnes of olive oil marketed on their territory.

(4) Cooperation between Member States with regard to conformity checks;

(5) Obligation of operators : For the purpose of conformity checks, operators from the mill and up to the bottling stage shall keep entry and withdrawal registers for each category of olive oil they hold.;

(6) For the purpose of conformity checks, tasting panels, approved by Member States on their territory, shall assess the organoleptic characteristics of virgin olive oils set out in Annex I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104

(7) Qualified inspection sampling, verifying the characteristics of olive oil, verifying the organoleptic characteristics of virgin olive oil;

(8) The oil content of oil cakes and other residues derived from olive oil extraction shall be determined using the method specified in Annex IV;

(9) Punishment and reporting.

For more information, see

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022R2105&qid=1668393553015