Source: European Parliament
Priority question for written answer P-002272/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Biljana Borzan (S&D)
In its reply to my previous question (Written Question P-001388/2025)[1], the Commission referred to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013[2] and confirmed that olive oil is an agricultural product. However, the answer did not clarify whether extra virgin and virgin olive oils are considered primary agricultural products or products of first-stage processing, as defined in Article 38 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Given that the distinction between primary and processed products has significant tax and administrative implications for small producers in certain Member States, and considering that extra virgin olive oil is obtained solely through mechanical means and without chemical treatment:
- 1.Can the Commission explicitly confirm whether extra virgin and virgin olive oils fall under the definition of ‘products of first-stage processing’, as referred to in Article 38 TFEU?
- 2.If not, under which category does the Commission classify these oils – primary products, products of first-stage processing, or processed products – and on the basis of which legal interpretation?
- 3.Is the mechanical extraction of oil from olives considered ‘processing’ in the same sense as, for example, fermentation or maceration, or does it fall under a distinct category (e.g., simple mechanical separation), and where is this distinction defined in EU law?
Submitted: 5.6.2025
- [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-10-2025-001388-ASW_EN.html.
- [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).