Date: 2026-03-20Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (EU) 2026/711 of 16 March 2026 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) as regards the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils and a new method of analysis for determining the peroxide value in such oils
**Executive Summary**
This decision establishes the European Union's position for the 123rd session of the International Olive Council (IOC) in June 2026 regarding updates to olive oil trade standards and analytical methods. The Union supports amending the trade standard for olive and olive pomace oils and adopting a safer method for determining peroxide values. Key actions include the adoption of these changes by June 2026 and the continued application of specific sterol content rules through the 2026/27 crop year.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Trade Standard Amendments (COI/T.15/NC No 4)**
* The Union supports adding the 'Coratina' olive variety to the existing list of varieties (Koroneiki and Nocellara del Belice) subject to specific footnotes regarding total sterol content.
* The application of the total sterol content footnote for these three varieties is extended until the end of the 2026/27 crop year.
* These amendments aim to contribute to international harmonisation and ensure fair competition in the olive oil trade.
**Peroxide Value Analysis**
* The Union supports the adoption of a new analytical method (COI/T.20/Doc. No 38) for determining the peroxide value in olive and olive pomace oils.
* The new method is identified as a safer alternative to the current IOC method (COI/T.20/Doc. No 35).
**EU Procedural Mandates**
* EU representatives in the IOC are authorized to agree to technical adaptations related to these revisions without further Council decisions.
* Representatives may request to postpone the adoption of these decisions if new scientific or technical information emerges before the 123rd session or the exchange of correspondence.
* The position set out in this decision remains valid if the adoption is postponed to the 123rd session due to delays from other IOC members.
**Impact Analysis**
**European Union Representatives (in the IOC Council of Members)**
**Impact**
Representatives are legally bound to support the specified amendments to trade standards and analysis methods during the 123rd session or via prior correspondence.
**Action Required**
Advocate for the inclusion of the Coratina variety in sterol content rules and the adoption of the new peroxide analysis method; request postponement if new technical data surfaces.
**Olive Oil Producers and Traders**
**Impact**
Stakeholders dealing in Coratina, Koroneiki, and Nocellara del Belice varieties will be governed by specific sterol content standards through the 2026/27 crop year.
**Action Required**
Ensure that olive and olive pomace oil products comply with the harmonised trade standard COI/T.15/NC No 4.
**Analytical Laboratories and Quality Control Entities**
**Impact**
Laboratories will have access to a safer, updated method for determining peroxide value in olive oils.
**Action Required**
Prepare to implement the new analysis method (COI/T.20/Doc. No 38) for conformity checks and peroxide value determination.
Key Entities Referenced
International Olive Council (IOC): The intergovernmental organization responsible for adopting international trade standards and analysis methods for the olive oil sector.
International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015: The primary international treaty that governs the legal framework for the IOC and the Union's participation in international olive oil standards.
Trade standard COI/T.15/NC No 4: The specific international trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils subject to amendments regarding olive varieties and sterol content.
Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013: The EU regulation establishing a common organisation of markets in agricultural products, which is directly influenced by IOC marketing and conformity standards.
COI/T.20/Doc. No 38: The technical document establishing a new, safer method of analysis for determining the peroxide value in olive and olive pomace oils.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/711 20.3.2026
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2026/711
of 16 March 2026
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the
International Olive Council (IOC) as regards the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils
and a new method of analysis for determining the peroxide value in such oils
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph,
in conjunction with Article 218(9), thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015(1)(the ‘Agreement’) was signed on 18 November
2016 on behalf of the Union in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892(2) and was concluded by the
Union by means of Council Decision (EU) 2019/848(3).
(2) Pursuant to Article 7(1) of the Agreement, the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) (the
‘Council of Members’) can take decisions and adopt recommendations for the application of the provisions of the
Agreement.
(3) The Council of Members is to adopt a decision amending the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils and
a decision on a new method of analysis for determining the peroxide value in such oils, by exchange of
correspondence, ahead of its 123rd session to be held in June 2026 or during that session.
(4) The decisions to be adopted have been extensively discussed between scientific and technical experts on olive oil
from the Commission and from the Member States. Those decisions will contribute to the international
harmonisation of standards for olive oils and will establish a framework which will ensure fair competition in the
trade of products from the olive oil sector.
(5) The Union should therefore support the adoption of the decision on a new method of analysis for determining the
peroxide value in olive oils and olive pomace oils, by exchange of correspondence.
(6) Regarding the amendments to the IOC trade standard (Trade standard COI/T.15/NC No 4 applying to olive oils and
olive pomace oils), the Union should support the addition of the Coratina variety to the Koroneiki and Nocellara del
Belice varieties, without limiting the application of the footnote on the total sterol content in the Coratina, Koroneiki
and Nocellara del Belice varieties until the end of the 2026/27 crop year.
(7) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Council of Members, as the
decisions to be adopted will have legal effects on the Union as regards international trade with the other members of
the IOC and will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely on marketing standards and
conformity checks for olive oil adopted by the Commission pursuant to Article 75 of Regulation (EU)
No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(4).
(1) International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (OJ L 293, 28.10.2016, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/
agree_internation/2016/1892/oj).
(2) Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892 of 10 October 2016 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional
application of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (OJ L 293, 28.10.2016, p. 2, ELI: http://data.europa.
eu/eli/dec/2016/1892/oj).
(3) Council Decision (EU) 2019/848 of 17 May 2019 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the International
Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (OJ L 139, 27.5.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2019/848/oj).
(4) Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common
organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC)
No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/711/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 20.3.2026
(8) If the adoption of the decisions is postponed to the 123rd session of the Council of Members, as a result of some
members of the IOC not being in a position to give their approval for the adoption of the decisions beforehand, the
position set out in the Annex to this Decision should be taken on behalf of the Union during the 123rd session of
the Council of Members.
(9) It should, however, be possible for the representatives of the Union in the Council of Members to agree to technical
adaptations to other methods or documents of the IOC without a further decision of the Council if those technical
adaptations result from amendments related to the revision of the trade standard or to the revision of the new
method.
(10) In order to preserve the interest of the Union, the representatives of the Union in the Council of Members should,
however, be allowed to request to postpone the adoption of the decision amending the trade standard and of the
decision on the new method for determining the peroxide value in olive oils and olive pomace oils, if the position to
be taken on behalf of the Union is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented before
the exchange of correspondence ahead of the 123rd session of the Council of Members is initiated,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) (the
‘Council of Members’) as regards the adoption of decisions by the Council of Members, by exchange of correspondence,
ahead of its 123rd session to be held in June 2026 or during that session, is set out in the Annex to this Decision.
The decisions referred to in the first subparagraph are the decision on the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils,
and the decision on a new method for determining the peroxide value in such oils.
Article 2
Technical adaptations to other methods or documents of the IOC may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in
the Council of Members without a further decision of the Council if those technical adaptations result from amendments
related to the revision of the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils or to the revision of the new method.
Article 3
Where the position referred to in Article 1 is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented before
the exchange of correspondence ahead of the 123rd session of the Council of Members is initiated, the representatives of
the Union shall request that the adoption of the decision amending the trade standard for olive oils and olive pomace oils
and of the decision on the new method for determining the peroxide value in such oils be postponed until the position of
the Union is established on the basis of that new information.
Article 4
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 16 March 2026.
For the Council
The President
K. KALLAS
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/711/ojEN
OJ L, 20.3.2026
ANNEX
Position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the
International Olive Council (IOC)
The European Union shall support the following amendments to the International Olive Council (IOC) trade standard
(Trade standard COI/T.15/NC No. 4 applying to olive oils and olive pomace oils):
(1) the revision of a footnote on the total sterol content in some monovarietal extra virgin olive oils by adding the Coratina
variety to the Koroneiki and Nocellara del Belice varieties;
(2) the addition of the new method of analysis for determining the peroxide value in olive oils and olive pomace oils.
The European Union shall also support the decision approving a new method of analysis (COI/T.20/Doc. No 38) which
provides for a safer alternative to the current IOC method (COI/T.20/Doc. No 35) for determining the peroxide value in
olive oils and olive pomace oils.
Technical adaptations to other methods or documents of the IOC may be agreed to by the representatives of the Union in
the Council of Members of the IOC without further decision of the Council if those technical adaptations result from
amendments referred to in the first paragraph.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/711/oj 3/3