Pakistan Joins the Olive Oil Convention: What Changes for Exporters

Key data

European olive oil exporters and importers face a new scenario. The EU Council has adopted Decision 2026/570, of 5 March 2026, to set the European position in the Members Council of the International Olive Council (IOC) and support the accession of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the International Olive Oil and Table Olives Convention 2015.

The measure does not impose administrative burdens or immediate costs on sector companies. Its relevance is strategic: it expands the geographical representation of the IOC, incorporates Pakistan into a framework of shared quality standards and commercial norms, and can facilitate bilateral trade between the EU and that country.

What does this regulation establish?

The Decision sets the position that the European Union will adopt in the IOC Members Council regarding Pakistan's accession to the International Olive Oil and Table Olives Convention 2015. The key elements are as follows:

• Formal EU support for Pakistan's entry into the international olive convention managed by the IOC.
• Pakistan's commitments upon accession: quality of olive oil and table olives, commercial norms of the sector and olive oil statistics.
• Geographical expansion of the IOC: Pakistan's accession increases the international representation of the body.
• Shared regulatory framework: by adopting the convention standards, Pakistan aligns with the quality norms already applied by European producers and exporters.
• No immediate direct obligations for Spanish or European sector companies.

The International Olive Oil and Table Olives Convention 2015 is the international legal instrument that regulates quality standards, commercial norms and the collection of statistics in the olive sector on a global scale, under the supervision of the IOC.

Economic and operational impact

The immediate impact for companies is null in terms of costs or new obligations. However, Pakistan's accession to the IOC has strategic implications worth considering:

The main value of this measure is the opening of a new potential market with known rules of the game. Exporting companies that already work with IOC member countries will find in Pakistan an interlocutor with equivalent regulatory commitments in terms of quality and trade.

Who does it affect?

• Olive oil producers interested in diversifying export markets.
• Exporters of olive oil and table olives that operate or want to operate in Asian markets.
• European importers of olive oil that may be affected by Pakistan's entry as a new player in the international market.
• Olive sector companies that participate in international bodies or follow IOC activity.
• Advisors and consultants in the agri-food sector who advise companies with activity in emerging markets.

Practical example

A Spanish olive cooperative that currently exports extra virgin olive oil to Southeast Asian countries wants to assess whether Pakistan can be a viable destination market.

Until now, Pakistan's absence from the IOC framework meant that the quality standards and commercial norms applicable in that country were not aligned with those of the International Olive Oil and Table Olives Convention 2015. This created uncertainty about the homologation of certifications and the acceptance of European quality standards.

After Pakistan's accession to the IOC, that country will assume commitments in terms of quality, commercial norms and olive oil statistics equivalent to those of the convention. For the cooperative, this means that commercial negotiations with Pakistani buyers can be supported by a shared regulatory framework, reducing friction in standards homologation and facilitating market access. There are no additional costs or new procedures for the cooperative: the opportunity is business-related, not compliance-related.

What should companies do now?

1. Assess Pakistan's potential as a destination market: with accession to the IOC, Pakistan will have a framework of quality and commercial norms aligned with the European one. Now is the time to analyze whether the Pakistani market fits into the export strategy.
2. Monitor the evolution of accession in the IOC: the EU's position is set, but the formal accession process will be completed in the IOC Members Council. It is advisable to monitor the timelines and Pakistan's effective entry.
3. Review applicable quality standards: the commitments Pakistan will assume in terms of quality and commercial norms are those of the 2015 Convention. Exporting companies must verify that their products already comply with those standards, which are the same ones applied to the rest of IOC member markets.
4. Consult with advisors specialized in foreign trade if an active strategy for entering the Pakistani market is considered, to assess tariffs, logistics and market access requirements beyond the olive framework.