The International Olive Oil Council (IOOC) was established in 1959 to administer the International Agreement on Olive Oil, 1956 (1st Agreement), as amended by the Protocol of April 3, 1958. Three further Agreements have succeeded each other since then (2nd Agreement in 1963, 3rd Agreement in 1979, and 4th Agreement in 1986). The International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 1986, as amended and extended in 1993, and last prolonged in 2000, is still in force. In accordance with the provisions of the 1993 Protocol, the Council may decide to prolong the Agreement for successive periods not exceeding two years each time. For the time being, the 1986 Agreement has been prolonged until December 31, 2002 (by IOOC Decision of November 16, 2000).

The chief objectives of the 1986 Agreement, which take into account Resolutions of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, are to facilitate international cooperation on world problems affecting olive products; promote research and development for the modernization of olive cultivation and the industries processing its products by setting up technical and scientific programs to improve the quality and reduce the prices of the products obtained; facilitate the study and application of measures devised to expand the international trade in olive products; seek to balance production and consumption, especially by increasing the latter; reduce handicaps entailed by fluctuating market supplies; forestall and oppose unfair competition practices and ensure delivery of goods complying with the contracts signed; foster the coordination of policies covering olive products; enlarge market accesses; ensure reliability of supplies and devise trade structures, especially by improving consultations and the supply of information; and continue to develop the tasks undertaken within the context of the previous Olive Oil Agreements. The Council also gives special attention to any scientific research on the biological value of the products obtained from the olive which might prove to be of use to consumption throughout the world.

The Council undertakes, in conjunction with the United Nations and its organs, in particular UNCTAD, FAO, Common Fund for Commodities and other intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizatons, to collect technical information and circulate it to all members; to promote action to coordinate technical improvement activities among members; to assist national planning relating to technical improvements, in particular in the developing olive-growing countries; and to encourage the transfer of technology to developing olive-growing countries from countries highly advanced in olive cultivation and oil extraction techniques. The Council provides a special fund for this purpose and, as part of the development of international cooperation, it procures financial and/or technical assistance from the competent international, regional or national organizations.

The Agreement provides for a joint promotion fund set up every year with compulsory contributions from the mainly producing members. Mainly importing members may contribute to the fund under special agreement. The Council is entitled to receive, for promotional purposes, voluntary contributions from governments or other sources.

COMPOSITION

The contracting parties to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 1986, as amended and extended, 1993, and last prolonged, 2000, are as follows:

Mainly producing members: Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, European Union, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia

Mainly importing member: Egypt, Monaco, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia

Observers:

Countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovak Republic, Thailand, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, The Palestinian National Authority

Professional Associations: Australian Olive Association (AOA), Australian Olive Oil Association (AOOA), Corporation of Master Millers (Corporazione del Mastri Oleari), EC Olive Oil Industry Federation (FEDOLIVE), Euromediterranean Federation of Olive-Growing Municipalities (FEMO), Hellenic Olive Oil Society (FILAIOS), International Association of Seed Crushers (IASC), International Labour Organization (ILO), North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA), Turkish Olive and Olive Oil Agricultural Cooperatives Union (TARIS), Tunisian Association of Olive Oil Producing Towns.

GENERAL PUBLICATIONS