ITALY CRACKS DOWN ON OLIVE OIL FRAUD

NEWS, March 3, 2016

Italian lawmakers voted to toughen penalties for olive oil fraud. Both houses of Parliament recommended that the government ensure criminal law prevail over administrative sanctions in cases of commercial fraud. It took the CBS 60 Minutes report on the Italian Food Mafia (https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/agromafia/)earlier this year, to get the Italian Lawmakers to respond. The houses also voted for stronger sanctions on false labeling and on a provision that would force repeat offenders to stop production for up to six months. Olive oil fraud has been increasing in the Italy due to poor harvests, olive oil fly infestations, and disease, reported The New York Times.