Olive Oil from the Island of Šolta Now EU Protected

One more Croatian food product has been given geographical origin protection status from the European Union…

The European Commission has approved the registration of another product name from Croatia as Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) – Šoltansko maslinovo ulje (Olive oil from the island of Šolta).

According to the description in EU documents, Šoltansko maslinovo ulje is produced from the fruit of the autochthonous varieties of olive known as Levantinka and Oblica. The Levantinka variety must account for at least 50 %, while the proportion of the varieties Levantinka and Oblica combined must be at least 95 %. The remaining 5 % or less may come from other varieties grown in the olive groves of Šolta and, given the small percentage, will have no effect on the product’s definitive properties.

Island of Šolta (photo credit/Vist Šolta)

All stages of production of ‘Šoltansko maslinovo ulje’, from the cultivation and harvesting of the olives to their processing into oil, must take place in the geographical area.

Registration as a Geographical Indication (GI) gives wide protection to the registered names, functioning as an intellectual property right for products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. Names registered enjoy protection against any misuse, imitation or evocation of their name.

Olive oil and Pršut the most protected Croatian products at EU level(photo credit: International Pršut Festival)

Olive oil from the island of Korčula, lamb from the island of Pag, turkey from the Croatian Zagorje breed, Poljički soparnik, pršut from Drniš, Krk, Istria and Dalmatia, extra virgin olive oil from Cres, mandarins from Neretva, sour cabbage from Ogulin, kulen from Baranja, and potatoes from Lika are other Croatian food products protected at EU level.