EFEO – European Federation of Essential Oils

Industry

Essential oils and related products are obtained in the countries of origin worldwide by distillation or extraction from plant materials. They are basic components for the products of important industries both within and outside the EU. They are mainly used for the production of substances for flavouring food, fragrance components for cosmetic industry products and in the manufacture of detergents. Essential oils and the fragrances as well as fragrances derived from them are used in many forms in end products, such as flavoured food, perfume, detergents and room spray. The association’s companies operate at different economic levels and represent a considerable part of the value-added chain: They are, on the one hand, the manufacturers of essential oils in the EU and in the most important non-European countries of origin, on the other hand the importers and exporters of these raw materials, but also industrial processors from the flavour and fragrance industry and manufacturers of cosmetic end products.