Oil: the decree on labelling

The 9th. Oct. 2007 Decree of the Secretary for Agriculture and Food - Paolo de Castro - about the "regulations for compulsory indications on extra virgin olive oil labels" was published in nr.243 Official Gazette , dated 18th. October 2007, and become effective by 17th. January 2008. The legislative decree was announced by the Secretary on 5th. Feb. 2008.This decree obliges to:

• show on the label the country where the olives were picked up;
• where the oil mill was set;
• where the oil was extracted;

just to guarantee the traceability of the virgin and extra virgin olive oil. The designation of the regional origin is reserved to the products that benefit a protected origin or come from a protected geographic area; if the olives have been produced in different countries, this must be indicated according to the quantity supplied; if the olives have been grown in a country different from the one of the oil mill, the label must have this writing: "oil extracted in (....) from olives grown in (....); in the case of blended virgin or extra virgin olive oils not extracted only in a member-state or other country, the label must show the list of all these countries extracting the different oils; the enterprises must keep a register for "loading and unloading" where all the movements for every kind of oil going in or out are recorder; the origin of these oils must be declared. This register must be kept by the enterprises by 31st May 2008 - the Inspector Centre, instituted to check the quality of food products organizes controls by enterprises, outlets, oil mills and suppliers every year, relying on the support of Agecontrol. Every single transgression can be punished with fines up to € 9.500-