The European Commission has written to the Italian government to complain about rules obliging olive oil producers to state the source of their olives on bottles.

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The regulation breaches EU internal market rules, which permit only a voluntary labelling system.


A spokesman said that the Commission had not yet opened formal legal proceedings against Italy over the labelling rules, but added that such a system was clearly “illegal”.


Italy claims that the labelling rule allows Italian consumers to make a conscious choice about the source of the olive oil they buy.


Italy has two months to respond to the Commission.

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