Immediate intervention by the European Commission regarding the proposal of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) for the mandatory implementation of the nutritional labeling system Health Star Rating (HSR) on all packaged foods is requested by PASOK MEP and Vice-President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Giannis Maniatis.
The Greek MEP points out that, according to technical observations that have been published, the algorithm of the HSR system evaluates individual nutritional indicators disproportionately, without adequately reflecting the overall nutritional value of traditional high-quality products.
As a result, products such as olive oil and table olives, fundamental elements of the UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean Diet, risk being downgraded in the eyes of consumers, despite their scientifically documented benefits for human health.
In his question, he underlines that Australia is a market of strategic importance for European olive oil exports, having imported more than 42,000 tons during the 2024-2025 period. Thus, a possible mandatory implementation of the HSR system could create unjustified technical barriers to trade, with serious impacts on the competitiveness of European and Greek agri-food products.
The PASOK MEP calls on the European Commission to assess the impacts of the proposal on European exports, examine its compatibility with the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on Technical Barriers to Trade, and raise the issue in the official institutional dialogue between the European Union and Australia.
“Europe cannot stand by idly while its trading partners adopt nutritional labeling systems that, instead of objectively informing the consumer, create distorted impressions and act as barriers to emblematic European products” stresses G. Maniatis and continues, “Greek olive oil and table olives are not merely export goods. They constitute an integral part both of our Mediterranean Diet, a dietary model internationally recognized for its health benefits, and of our cultural heritage. The Commission must defend our producers decisively, ensuring equal terms of competition and preventing the creation of new, unjustified trade barriers against European quality products.”
The full text of the question follows:
“Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 144
Giannis Maniatis (S&D)
Subject: Protection of olive oil and table olives from proposal (P1067) of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recently launched a public consultation on proposal (P1067[1]) for the mandatory application of the front-of-pack nutritional labeling system “Health Star Rating” (HSR) on all packaged foods.
According to technical observations, the algorithm on which the operation of the HSR system is based gives excessive weight to individual nutritional indicators, without adequately assessing the overall nutritional value of specific products, thereby leading consumers to misleading conclusions and also creating trade distortions to the detriment of European products of high nutritional and cultural value.
Characteristic examples of such products are olive oil and table olives, fundamental elements of the UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean Diet, for which the algorithm does not take into account either their natural bioactive components or the scientifically documented benefits of their balanced consumption.
Given that Australia is a market of strategic importance, with imports of 42,272 tons of olive oil during the 2024/2025 period, the possible implementation of HRS may create a Technical Barrier to Trade, harming the competitiveness of European and Greek exports.
The Commission is asked:
- Has it assessed the impacts 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 place this specific issue on the EU-Australia institutional dialogue on Technical Barriers to Trade?”