* This is a pilot project and all consumers should be aware that this is a quality assessment, aiming to identify, assess and promote extra virgin oils of the Interreg V-A Greece-Italy area

AUTHENTIC OLIVE NET SEAL CALL FOR SUBMISSION OF PILOT QUALITY PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM

Preveza Chamber, as Lead Partner of the Project “Certification of Authenticity and Development of a Promotion Network of olive products in the across border GREECE – ITALY area”, is pleased to invite all interested olive oil producers, who are eligible, to participate in the pilot award process of the “Authentic Olive Net” Seal.  The Application Form can get submitted safely online, by selecting in the Project Website https://interreg-authentic-olive-net.eu/  the button « AON PILOT IMPLEMENTATION – APPLICATION FORM» in the top right part of your screen and then filling-in all required fields of the Application Form by 26-04-2021, hour 14:00.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project “Authentic-Olive-Net” introduces an innovative and effective pilot way to identify, assess, and promote the high quality characteristics of the selected olives varieties, i.e. Lianolia, Koroneiki, Coratina, FS17 & Peranzana, which are being produced in the Interreg V-A Greece-Italy area and which are already registered or should become registered under the geographical indication schemes of P.D.O. (protected designation of origin) or P.G.I. (protected geographical indication) that are based on the legal framework provided by the EU Regulation No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Project partners consist of Preveza Chamber, Region of Western Greece, Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”, Assoproli Bari and the Chamber of Commerce of Foggia, while the project area of interest includes the Puglia Region (Provinces of Foggia, Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Barletta-Andria-Trani (BAT), Taranto), the Region of Western Greece (Aitoloakarnania, Achaia, Ileia), the Region of Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Kerkyra, Kefalonia, Lefkada) and the Region of Epirus (Arta, Thesprotia, Ioannina, Preveza).

ABOUT THE AUTHENTIC OLIVE NET SEAL

Project Partners have developed the trademark entitled “Authentic Olive Net Seal”. This specific trademark is a private label and will be awarded only to Greek and Italian producers of Extra Virgin Olive Oils in the across border GREECE – ITALY area. Awarding Body of the “Authentic Olive Net Seal” in Greece will be the Commercial Chamber of Preveza. Quality Control Body will be the Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”, which will run all quality controls of the applicant olive oil producers. Likewise, Awarding Body of the “Authentic Olive Net Seal” in Italy will be the Commercial Chamber of Foggia.

The purpose of the “Authentic Olive Net Seal” is to consolidate consumer confidence in the products declared to come from the across border GREECE – ITALY area and to protect the interests of producers from counterfeiting and unfair competition, as well as to strengthen the competitiveness of the producers.

Preveza Chamber, as Lead Beneficiary of the Project, has designed and developed the application form, which any interested olive oil producers must fill-in and submit online, in order to enter the pilot “Authentic Olive Net Seal” award process. All submitted applications will get considered and all successful applicants will participate in the pilot implementation of the award process.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The Seal of Authenticity “Authentic Olive Net Seal” is based on three pillars, namely “Origin”, “Production Methods” and “Quality”, which together establish a system of common assessment principles and a recommended methodology approach.

“Authentic Olive Net Seal” will be awarded on a pilot basis only after conformity checks of all set standards, including all necessary specifications, requirements and procedures, that will result to a positive evaluation of the applicant olive oil producers.

The award of this trademark is a prerequisite for the inclusion of olive oil producers in the “Basket of Authentic Olive Products in the across border GREECE – ITALY area”, which is a common catalogue of all olive oils, to which will be awarded the trademark entitled “Authentic Olive Net Seal”.