Auditors expose systemic gaps in EU’s olive oil control systems

A European Court of Auditors (ECA) report has exposed systemic gaps in the EU’s olive oil control systems, exposing a gulf between the bloc’s comprehensive regulations and their enforcement on the ground. Nearly a third of conformity checks detect non-compliance. Four out of 24 retail products tested couldn’t be traced to their declared origin. Checks on imports for pesticides and contaminants are “either non-existent or very limited.”

The audit examined control systems in Belgium, Greece, Spain, and Italy between 2018 and 2023. Member states routinely fail to hit minimum check requirements, perform incomplete lab analyses, and carve out entire market segments from their risk assessments without clear justification, auditors found.

When authorities were asked to trace 28 retail olive oils back through the supply chain, the results were damning. Two oils labeled as EU origin and two with mixed EU/non-EU origin failed traceability requirements entirely. No product was fully traced to farm level beyond national borders.

“Cooperation between competent authorities regarding olive oil originating from more than one EU member state is not always effective,” the report states.

Import blind spot

The EU is the world’s leading olive oil producing region, consumer, and exporter — 61% of global production, 45% of consumption. Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal account for 99% of output. But oversight of the 9% that’s imported is threadbare.

Tunisia supplies 75% of imported olive oil, followed by Turkey, Argentina, and Morocco. Auditors found Italy failed to follow its own border sampling plan, while Spain tested just three import consignments for pesticide residues across six years.

The commission itself has only a “partial view” of how member states’ controls actually function, according to the report. It wasn’t aware, for example, that some countries skip required lab parameters or exclude online sales and imports from checks altogether.

Consumer trust at stake

These enforcement gaps come at a time when consumer expectations around sourcing and authenticity continue to grow. Innova Market Insights data shows 31% of global consumers now prioritize honesty and transparency when choosing food brands, with 27% ranking ingredient sourcing as the single biggest factor in food safety.

Three in five consumers say it’s important to know where their food comes from. Artisan and handcrafted claims have grown at 8% and 5% CAGRs, respectively, over the past five years, according to Innova. 

The global olive oil market is projected to grow from around US$19 billion in 2024 to over US$30 billion by 2032 — growth predicated on consumers trusting that “extra virgin” means what it says.

ECA recommendations

The ECA issued five recommendations to the commission: strengthen oversight of member state systems, clarify blending rules for oils from different harvests or categories, and tighten guidance on contaminant checks for imports.

On traceability, auditors want the commission to push electronic registers — already mandatory in Spain and Italy — that log every movement of olives and oil, and improve cross-border compatibility so products can actually be traced across frontiers.

Implementation targets run from 2026 to 2028.

Industry efforts to tackle fraud 

Olive oil remains one of the most fraud-prone food categories. US FDA and UC Davis studies suggest more than 25% of extra virgin olive oil in US supply chains may be cut with cheaper seed oils. Food fraud experts peg the global cost at US$10–40 billion annually.

Price volatility makes the problem worse. “When prices drop, counterfeit oils become even more profitable, and consumers may be less cautious,” Arsenio founder Arsen Khachaturyants told Food Ingredients First last year. Producers need to communicate origin, harvest details, and quality to stand out, he added.

Industry has started responding. The Seed Oil Free Alliance launched its certification scheme in 2024, requiring lab testing to verify products contain no undeclared seed oils. CEO Jonathan Rubin called it “a powerful message to the entire industry that consumers demand transparency.”