Council Decision (EU) 2026/1539 of 22 June 2026 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council with regard to the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2026/1539 3.7.2026 COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2026/1539 of 22 June 2026 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the Council of Members of the International Olive Council with regard to the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil 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 (the ‘Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by means of Council Decision (EU) 2019/848(1).

(2) Pursuant to Article 7(1), point (b), of the Agreement, the Council of Members of the International Olive Council

(IOC) (the ‘Council of Members’) is able to take decisions and adopt recommendations for the application of the provisions of the Agreement.

(3) The Council of Members, during its 123rd session in June 2026, is scheduled to adopt two decisions concerning the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil.

(4) The decisions of the IOC will, if adopted, produce legal effects for the Union as regards international trade with the other members of the IOC and will influence the content of Union law, namely rules on conformity checks for olive oil adopted by the Commission pursuant to Article 90a of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council(2).

(5) The decisions to be adopted have been extensively discussed between scientific and technical experts on olive oil of the Commission and of the Member States. Those decisions will contribute to the international harmonisation of olive oil standards and will establish a framework which should ensure fair competition in the trading of products in the olive oil sector. The Union should therefore support the adoption of those decisions.

(6) It is therefore appropriate to establish the position to be taken within the Council of Members with regard to the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil.

(7) If the adoption of those decisions is postponed in order for an exchange of correspondence to take place before the 124th session of the Council of Members, as a result of some Members not being in a position to give their approval, the position set out in this Decision should be taken on behalf of the Union by exchange of correspondence.

(8) 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 further decision of the Council if those technical adaptations result from amendments related to the decisions to be adopted concerning the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil.

(9) In order to preserve the interests of the Union, the representatives of the Union in the Council of Members should, however, be allowed to request that the adoption of those decisions be postponed, 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 124th session of the Council of Members,

(1) 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).

(2) 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/2026/1539/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 3.7.2026

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The Union shall support the adoption of the following two decisions concerning the organoleptic assessment method for virgin olive oil by the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC) at its 123rd session in June 2026 or by exchange of correspondence to take place before its 124th session:

— Revision 3 of document COI/T.20/Doc. No 5 on the ‘Glass for oil tasting’; — Revision 2 of document COI/T.20/Doc. No 6 on the guide for the installation of a taste room.

Article 2 The representatives of the Union in the Council of Members of the IOC may agree to technical adaptations to other methods or documents of the IOC without further decision of the Council if those technical adaptations result from the revisions to the two documents referred to in Article 1.

Article 3 Where the position referred to in Article 1 is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented before or during the 123rd session of the Council of Members of the IOC, the representatives of the Union in the Council of Members of the IOC shall request that the adoption of the decisions referred to in Article 1 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 Luxembourg, 22 June 2026.

For the Council The President M. PANAYIOTOU 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/1539/oj