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Highlighting mediterranean cooperation in the olive sector
The International Olive Council (IOC) is taking part in the VI AOVE Fórum Internacional – Fira de Tots Sants de Cocentaina, a key event promoting Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the agri-food sector and celebrating the cultural and economic value of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
The event’s international section – hosted by Casa Mediterráneo in Alicante and organised by Cooperativa Agrícola Católica COOP VC de Cocentaina y Fira de Tots Sants, Cocentaina City Hall – marks a significant step in reinforcing dialogue across the Mediterranean Basin. It brings together producers, experts, institutions and diplomats in a shared mission to promote the olive sector as a pillar of regional identity, sustainability and innovation.
The IOC was represented by its Deputy Executive Director, Abderraouf Laajimi, at the roundtable “How to position a premium EVOO in high-value international markets: success stories, emerging markets, and regulatory and logistical challenges”, which took place on 29 January at the Centro Cultural El Teular in Cocentaina. The session featured voices from institutions and industry, focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing olive oil producers seeking to expand into high-value international markets.
This year’s Forum underscores the importance of coordinated efforts to strengthen the global positioning of EVOO. Through technical sessions, guided tastings and cross-border dialogue, the event highlights how Mediterranean collaboration can drive innovation, quality and international recognition for one of the region’s most emblematic products.
On this occasion, A. Laajimi met with Andrés Perello Rodríguez and Ignacio de Julián, respectively Director General and Deputy Director of Casa Mediterráneo, which hosted the forum. The close ties between this public consortium — bringing together the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (MAEC), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Valencian Regional Government, the municipalities of Alicante and Benidorm, and the Provincial Council of Alicante — with the world of olive growing will soon be the subject of a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Madrid, with a view to exploring concrete avenues for collaboration between the two institutions.
As the only international organisation dedicated to olive oil and table olives, the IOC actively supports platforms like the AOVE Fórum that foster knowledge exchange, promote best practices, and advance the visibility of olive oil as a shared cultural and nutritional treasure.
