Immediate intervention by the European Commission regarding the proposal by the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Agency (FSANZ) to mandatorily apply the Health Star Rating (HSR) nutrition labeling system to all packaged foods, as called for in a statement by PASOK MEP and Vice-Chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Yannis Maniatis, calls for the implementation of the Health Star Rating (HSR) nutrition labeling system on all packaged foods.
The Greek MEP points out that, according to published technical observations, the HSR system’s algorithm disproportionately weights individual nutritional indicators, failing to adequately reflect the overall nutritional value of traditional, high-quality products.
As a result, products such as olive oil and table olives—fundamental components of the UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean Diet—risk being devalued in the eyes of consumers, despite their scientifically proven benefits for human health.
In his question, he emphasizes that Australia is a market of strategic importance for European olive oil exports, having imported more than 42,000 metric tons during the 2024–2025 period. Thus, the potential mandatory implementation of the HSR system could create unjustified technical barriers to trade, with serious consequences for the competitiveness of European and Greek agri-food products.
The PASOK Member of the European Parliament calls on the European Commission to assess the proposal’s impact on European exports, to examine its compatibility with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Technical Barriers to Trade, and to raise the issue in the official institutional dialogue between the European Union and Australia.
“Europe cannot stand idly by while its trading partners adopt nutrition labeling systems that, rather than objectively informing consumers, create misleading impressions and act as barriers to iconic European products,” emphasizes G. Maniatis, adding, “Greek olive oil and table olives are not merely export commodities. They are an integral part of both our Mediterranean diet—a dietary model internationally recognized for its health benefits—and our cultural heritage. The European Commission must resolutely defend our producers, ensuring a level playing field and preventing the creation of new, unjustified trade barriers to the detriment of high-quality European products.”
The full text of the question follows:
“Question requesting a written answer
to the Commission
Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure
Yannis Maniatis (S&D)
Subject: Protection of olive oil and table olives from proposal (P1067) by the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ)
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recently opened a public consultation on proposal (P1067[1]) to mandate the “Health Star Rating” (HSR) on all packaged foods.
According to technical comments, the algorithm on which the HSR system is based places excessive weight on individual nutritional indicators, without adequately assessing the overall nutritional value of specific products, leading consumers to misleading conclusions and creating trade distortions to the detriment of European products of high nutritional and cultural value.
Typical examples of such products include olive oil and table olives, which are fundamental components of the UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean Diet; yet the algorithm fails to take into account both their natural bioactive compounds and the scientifically documented benefits of their balanced consumption.
Given that Australia is a market of strategic importance, with imports of 42,272 metric tons of olive oil during the 2024/2025 period, the potential implementation of the HRS could create a Technical Barrier to Trade, undermining the competitiveness of European and Greek exports.
The Commission is asked:
- Has it assessed the impact of proposal P1067 on exports of European olive oil and table olives?
- Is Proposal P1067 compatible with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade?
- Does it intend to include this issue in the EU-Australia institutional dialogue on Technical Barriers to Trade?”