EU Supports Pakistan’s Olive Council Membership

Summary

The European Commission proposes that the European Union take a position in the International Olive Council (IOC) on the accession of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives (2015).

Why it matters

• The Agreement, which entered into force on 1 January 2017, sets common rules for the quality and testing of olive oil and table olives to help trade.
• The IOC’s Council of Members is the decision‑making body. It has 21 members; the EU holds 647 of the 1,000 participation shares.
• Decisions on new members are normally made by consensus; if consensus is not reached, a vote is taken and a majority of at least 86 % of the participation shares must support the decision.

Pakistan’s situation

• Pakistan applied to join the Agreement on 25 August 2025.
• The country has a long tradition of olive use. In 2023, 46.7 % of its land was agricultural, and it consumes about 5,000 tonnes of olive oil and 2,100 tonnes of table olives each year.
• Although olive production is modest, Pakistan’s accession could strengthen the IOC and help the EU’s policy on common standards for agricultural products (Regulation (EC) No 1308/2013).

EU position

• The EU will support the IOC’s decision to accept Pakistan, provided:

1. Pakistan’s participation shares are calculated using the formula in Article 11 of the Agreement.
2. The time limit for Pakistan to deposit its accession instrument is no longer than 1.5 years after the IOC decision.

• If the deposit is delayed, the EU may support an extension.

Legal basis

• Procedural: Article 218(9) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
• Substantive: Article 207 TFEU (common commercial policy).

Digital impact

• The proposal has no digital relevance.

The proposal was drafted on 29 January 2026 (COM(2026) 38).