Cyprus olive oil losing out to patchy EU regulations

EU regulation for controlling olive oil quality including Cyprus contains serious weaknesses that risk undermining consumer confidence, according to a report by the European Court of Auditors released last week.

The findings are particularly resonant for producing countries such as Cyprus, where olive oil quality is often high, yet traceability and marketing remain weak.

For example, much of Cyprus’ olive oil is exported in bulk to Italy, where it is blended, rebranded and sold at a premium.