The European Parliament adopted by 627 votes to 11, with 17 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015.

The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The Committee on International Trade adopted the report by Eleonora FORENZA (GUE/NGL, IT) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

In the explanatory memorandum accompanying the recommendation, it is recalled that the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives 2015 was signed on behalf of the Union on 28 November 2016 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Agreement entered into force provisionally on 1 January 2017.

The International Agreement has several objectives, namely to:

- foster international cooperation for the integrated and sustainable development of world olive growing;

- promote the coordination of production, industrialisation, storage and marketing policies for olive oils, olive-pomace oils and table olives;

- encourage research and development;

- foster the transfer of technology and training activities in the olive products sector.

The Agreement establishes a decision-making body, called the ‘Council of Members’, which exercises all powers and performs all the functions necessary to achieve the objectives of the Agreement.

The rapporteur regretted the late transmission of this Agreement to Parliament and the lack of timely information from the other institutions during the negotiations.

Since international agreements under the Union's common commercial policy are subject to Parliament's consent, the rapporteur invited the Council and the Commission to inform Parliament as appropriate, in particular with regard to any decision that may be taken in relation to Article 4 of the Council's decision. In this respect, it called on the Commission to provide Parliament, in due course, with detailed information equivalent to that provided to the Council, in particular with regard to the activities of the Council of Members established by the Agreement.

PURPOSE: to conclude the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: on 19 November 2013, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations on behalf of the Union in order to conclude a new international agreement on olive oil and table olives.

The text of the agreement was adopted on 9 October 2015 by the representatives of 24 Member States of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and two intergovernmental organisations during the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2005.

In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892, the Agreement was signed on behalf of the Union on 28 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.

It is now necessary for the Agreement to be approved.

CONTENT: the Council calls for the approval, on behalf of the Union, of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015.

The Agreement establishes a decision-making body, called the ‘Council of Members’, which exercises all powers and performs all the functions necessary to achieve the objectives of the Agreement. The Commission should be authorised to represent the Union in the Council of Members.

In order to facilitate the adoption of amendments to the Agreement such as those regarding the designations and definitions of oils, olive pomace oils and table olives as set out in annexes B and C of the Agreement, the Commission should be authorised to approve proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, under specific substantive and procedural conditions.

PURPOSE: signature, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

BACKGROUND: the new International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives was adopted on 9 October 2015 by the representatives of 24 Member States of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and two intergovernmental organisations during the United Nations Conference for the negotiation of an agreement. It is intended to succeed the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2005.

In order to avoid an interruption in the application of the rules laid down in the 2005 International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, provision should be made for:

- the Union to provisionally apply the Agreement if the procedure for its conclusion by the Union has not been completed before 1 January 2017 ;

- the Union may provisionally apply the Agreement if the requirements for its final or provisional entry into force have not been met by 31 December 2016.

CONTENT: under the draft Council Decision, the signature, on behalf of the Union, of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 would be authorised, subject to its conclusion.

The objectives of the Agreement seek to:

seek to achieve uniformity in national and international legislation relating to the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of olive oils, olive pomace oils and table olives in order to prevent any obstacle to trade; conduct activities in the area of physico-chemical and organoleptic testing in order to add to the knowledge of the composition and quality characteristics of olive products, with a view to consolidating international standards and so enabling: (i) product quality control; (ii) international trade and its development; (iii) protection of consumer rights; (iv) prevention of fraudulent and misleading practices and adulteration; strengthen the role of the International Olive Council as a forum of excellence for the international scientific community in the area of olives and olive oil; coordinate studies and research on the nutritional qualities and other intrinsic properties of olive oil and table olives; facilitate the exchange of information on international trade flows; promote technical cooperation and research and development in the olive sector by encouraging the cooperation of public or private bodies and/or entities, whether national or international; conduct activities for the identification, preservation and utilization of the gene sources of olive trees; study the interaction between olive growing and the environment, particularly with a view to promoting environmental conservation and sustainable production, and to ensure the integrated and sustainable development of the sector; foster the transfer of technology through training activities in the fields connected with the olive sector by organizing international, regional and national activities; promote the protection of geographical indications of olive products in compliance with the corresponding international agreements to which a member may be a party; encourage the exchange of information and experience in the phytosanitary field on olive growing ; enhance the role of the International Olive Council as a world documentation and information centre about the olive tree and its products and as a meeting point for all the operators in the sector; promote the consumption of olive products, the expansion of international trade of olive oil and table olives and information in relation to the trade standards of the International Olive Council; support international and regional activities encouraging the dissemination of generic scientific information on the nutritional, health and other properties of olive oil and table olives with a view to improving consumer information; examine the world balances for olive oil, olive pomace oils and table olives, undertake studies and propose appropriate measures; disseminate economic data and analyses on olive oil and table olives and provide members with the indicators necessary to contribute to the smooth functioning of the olive products markets; disseminate and use the results of research and development programmes linked to olive growing and study their applicability in increasing production efficiency.