The European Court of Auditors denounces non-existent controls on Tunisian oil imported at zero duty. The risks for Italy
While the EU talks about increasing imports of Tunisian olive oil at zero duty, Oil that has never been checked could end up on the shelves of Italian supermarkets. This was revealed by a report from European Court of Auditors which raised the alarm about increasingly massive imports and practically non-existent checks.
The numbers speak clearly: in the two-year period 2023-2024, in the main Italian ports, no cargo of Tunisian oil was subjected to verification. Zero controls. Meanwhile, oil produced in Europe undergoes rigorous inspections in more than 90% of cases. A disparity that Coldiretti Puglia defines as unacceptable, especially now that Brussels is discussing doubling the subsidized quota, bringing it to 100 thousand tons per year.
The price of the free market
The consequences of this policy can already be seen. In the first nine months of 2025, Tunisian imports increased by 38%, while the prices of Italian extra virgin olive oil collapsed by more than 20%. Foreign oil costs below 4 euros per litre, squeezing national prices and forcing many olive growers to sell at a loss.
David Granierinational vice president of Coldiretti and president of Unaprol (Italian Olive Consortium), asks an uncomfortable question: «With a production of 300 thousand tons, an internal consumption of 400 thousand and an export of another 300 thousand, how is it possible that the price to farmers has fallen by 30%?». The answer, according to him, lies in the speculations of those who import at low cost and resell as Italian. For this reason “immediate controls are needed to protect producers and quality”.
The real made in Italy scam
There is a mechanism that aggravates the situation: inward processing. It allows you to import oil, process it in Italy and then label it as a national product. A practice also reported by Financial Times as a criticality of the system. Pietro Piccionidirector of Coldiretti Puglia, does not mince words: «An oil that is not can be declared 100% Italian. Some industrialists take advantage of the flaws to put products on the market that only have the name of extra virgin.”
The greatest damage falls on Puglia, the heart of Italian olive growing with over 370 thousand cultivated hectares, 148 thousand companies and 60 million plants. A billion euro heritage which includes five PDOs and one PGI, but which risks being crushed by unfair competition.
Why it is important to protect yourself
Alfonso Cavallopresident of Coldiretti Puglia, is categorical: «Increasing imports at zero duty means opening the doors to low-cost oil and often of questionable quality, with a devastating impact on the Italian agri-food heritage. We cannot accept unfair competition that puts the sustainability of our companies at risk.” This is why the organization asks immediate controls at borders and in the olive oil industries, to protect both producers and consumers.
The issue, Coldiretti warns, is not just about the economy but about the credibility of Made in Italy. Without clear rules, Italian extra virgin olive oil risks becoming the weak link in an increasingly opaque market.
