Under Regulation (EC) No 2568/91 of 11 July 1991, most recently amended by implementing Regulation (EU) No 299/2013 of 26 March 2013, the maximum admissible ethyl ester content of extra virgin olive oil is 75 mg/kg.

However, Italian legislation stipulates a maximum ethyl ester content of 10-15 mg/kg, i.e. seven times lower than EU limit.

Clearly the higher EU upper limit is detrimental to the quality of extra virgin olive oil, making it possible to market even a substandard product as prime quality oil, mixing it with recycled oil, while still meeting the generous upper limit for ethyl ester content.

1.Does the Commission agree that the upper limit for fatty acid methyl and ethyl esters for the marketing of extra virgin olive oil is excessively high?

2.What measures will it take to have the regulation amended so as to reduce these limits?