International Olive Council facts for kids

Headquarters, Madrid

The International Olive Council (IOC) is a special group of countries that grow olives or make products from them, like olive oil. It used to be called the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC). This organization helps make sure that olive products are good quality and traded fairly around the world.

More than 98% of all olives grown globally come from countries that are part of the IOC. The main office of the IOC is in Madrid, Spain.

History of the IOC

The IOC started with an agreement about olive oil in Geneva on October 17, 1955. After some changes, the IOOC was officially created in 1959. Its main office has always been in Madrid.

Over the years, the organization has been guided by different agreements:

• 1956 International Olive Oil Agreement (1956–1963)
• 1963 International Olive Oil Agreement (1963–1979)
• 1979 International Olive Oil Agreement (1979–1986)
• 1986 International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives (1986–2005)
• 2005 International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives (2005–2015)
• 2015 International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives (2015–)

In 2006, the group changed its name from the International Olive Oil Council to the International Olive Council. This was to show that they also work with table olives, not just olive oil. A new agreement was made in October 2015 and became official in 2016.

Who are the Members?

The IOC currently has 21 members, including the European Union. These members produce over 94% of the world's olives.

Here are the current members (the year they first joined is in brackets; an asterisk means they were a founding member):

How Countries Join the IOC

Only governments of countries or international organizations can become members of the IOC. Private companies or individuals cannot join.

If a country wants to join, its government sends an application. The IOC then decides the conditions for that country to become a member. Once the country agrees to these conditions, it officially becomes a member.

Observers at IOC Meetings

Sometimes, other groups can attend IOC meetings as "observers." They need special permission from the IOC members.

These observers can be:

• Big international groups like the United Nations and its agencies (such as the World Health Organization or Food and Agriculture Organization).
• Other government or non-government groups that might help fund IOC activities.
• Governments of countries that are thinking about joining the IOC.

IOC Headquarters

The main office of the IOC has been in Madrid, Spain, since it started in 1959. Spain has an agreement with the IOC that sets out the rules for its headquarters and staff.

Official Languages

The IOC uses five official languages: Arabic, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Its two main working languages are English and French.

How the IOC is Funded

The IOC gets its money from its member countries. Each country pays a certain amount every year, based on how much they participate in the IOC's budget.

How the IOC is Organized

The IOC is run by its Council of Members, various committees, the IOC Chair, and the Executive Secretariat.

Council of Members

The Council of Members is the main group that makes decisions for the IOC. Each member country sends one person, who might have helpers. They meet at least once a year to check on the IOC's work and plan for the next year. They try to agree on decisions together.

Committees

The IOC has five committees that discuss ideas and prepare plans for the Council of Members.

• Promotion and Economic Affairs Committee: This group plans how to encourage people to use more olive oil and table olives. They also look at information about how much olive oil and table olives are produced, bought, and sold around the world.
• Technical Committee: This committee looks at programs for olive oil chemistry, research, new technologies, and training for member countries.
• Standardisation and Chemistry Committee: This group works to make sure that rules for testing olive oils and table olives are the same everywhere. They also update methods for checking the quality of these products.
• Administrative and Financial Affairs Committee: This committee handles all the money and staff matters for the IOC. They check the budget and make sure everything is managed correctly.
• Advisory Committee on Olive Oil and Table Olives: This committee includes people from all parts of the olive business, like growers, producers, sellers, and consumers. They share their ideas and help the IOC find solutions to problems.

IOC Chair

The Council of Members chooses a chairperson each year. This person leads meetings and represents the IOC. A vice-chair is also chosen, who usually becomes the chair the next year. In 2023, Jordan was the country that held the chair position.

Executive Secretariat

The Executive Secretariat is like the IOC's main office staff. It's led by an Executive Director and helps carry out the decisions and plans of the IOC. It has different units that handle specific tasks:

• Administrative Management and Human Resources Unit: Takes care of office tasks, logistics, and staff.
• Standardisation and Research Unit: Develops rules for testing olive oils and table olives. They also work with other groups to make sure standards are similar. This unit also organizes the annual IOC Mario Solinas Quality Award.
• Economy and Promotion Unit: Collects and shares information about olive oil and table olive markets. They also organize campaigns to promote these products and publish the IOC's scientific journal, OLIVAE.
• Financial Management Unit: Manages the IOC's budget and money.
• Olive Growing, Olive Oil Technology and Environment Unit: Encourages new research and technologies to improve olive growing and olive product making. They also focus on protecting the environment and reducing costs.

IOC Trade Standards

A very important part of the IOC's work is to help people trust olive products, encourage trade between countries, and stop fraud. The IOC has two main sets of rules, called trade standards:

• One for liquid olive oils and olive pomace oils.
• One for edible olives (called table olives) and products made from them.

Working with Other Groups

The IOC works closely with expert chemists from its member countries to make sure their standards for food technology are up-to-date. They also work with other international groups like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to make sure their testing methods are similar and compatible.

Standard Names for Olive Products

To avoid confusion, IOC members agree to only use specific names for olive products that are listed in the IOC standard.

• The olive oil standard sets the names and definitions for different types of olive oils and olive pomace oils. It also defines the quality and purity rules for each type.
• The table olive standard sets the names, definitions, and requirements for common olive varieties, how they are preserved, and how they are prepared for sale (like pastes).

Making Sure Quality is Good

The IOC also sets rules for how to test the quality of products. They also provide other information to help consumers, such as:

• Rules for cleanliness along the entire process, from farm to store.
• Rules for suitable packaging materials.
• Rules for product labelling.
• Rules about any food additives or allowed contaminants.
• Suggestions for environmental protection when using and getting rid of olive products.

Types of Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils

The different kinds of olive oils and olive pomace oils have specific names and definitions in the IOC's rules.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is made only from the fruit of the olive tree. It's extracted using machines or other physical ways, without changing the oil's natural structure. Oils made with chemicals or mixed with other types of oils are not considered olive oil. Olive oil can be used for food or in industry.

Here are the main types of olive oil:

• Virgin olive oil: This oil is made directly from olives using only mechanical methods. It hasn't been treated with anything other than washing, settling, spinning, and filtering.
  • Extra virgin olive oil: This is the best quality virgin olive oil. It has a very low acidity (less than 0.8 grams per 100 grams) and meets all the other high-quality standards.
  • Virgin olive oil: This virgin olive oil has a slightly higher acidity (less than 2 grams per 100 grams) but is still good quality.
  • Ordinary virgin olive oil: This virgin olive oil has an acidity of less than 3.3 grams per 100 grams.

• Lampante virgin olive oil: This oil has a higher acidity (more than 3.3 grams per 100 grams) or other issues that make it not suitable for people to eat directly. It usually needs to be refined.

• Refined olive oil: This oil is made from virgin olive oils that have been refined to remove bad qualities. It has a very low acidity (less than 0.3 grams per 100 grams).

• Olive oil: This is a mix of refined olive oil and virgin olive oils that are good to eat. It has an acidity of less than 1 gram per 100 grams.

Olive Pomace Oil

Olive pomace oil is made from the leftover parts of the olive (the "pomace") after the first oil has been extracted. It's made using special treatments, but not by mixing with other oils.

Here are the types of olive pomace oil:

• Crude olive pomace oil: This is the basic olive pomace oil. It's usually refined before being used for food, or it can be used for other technical purposes.
• Refined olive pomace oil: This oil is made from crude olive pomace oil that has been refined. It has a very low acidity (less than 0.3 grams per 100 grams).
• Olive pomace oil: This is a blend of refined olive pomace oil and virgin olive oils that are good to eat. It has an acidity of less than 1 gram per 100 grams. It's important to remember that this blend should never be called "olive oil."

IOC Mario Solinas Quality Award

The IOC Mario Solinas Quality Award started in 2000. It celebrates producers who make excellent extra virgin olive oils. The award also helps people learn about the different tastes and smells of high-quality extra virgin olive oils.

Oils are judged based on their fruitiness. Experts taste and smell the oils, rating them on a 100-point scale for things like smell, taste, and how long the flavor lasts. The oils with the highest scores are then judged by an international panel, who pick the first, second, and third place winners.

Winners receive a medal and a diploma. They can also mention their award on the bottles of their winning extra virgin olive oil.

See also

In Spanish: Consejo Oleícola Internacional para niños