On Monday 13 February, nearly 50 MEPs from several political groups and nationalities called for a revision of the Honey Directive to reassure consumers, combat fraud and adulteration, and limit the unfair competition faced by EU beekeepers.
During the most recent ‘Agriculture’ Council meeting on 30 January, a large majority of EU ministers once again voted in favour of more precise labelling, requiring the exact countries of production and the share of each of these origins in honey blends to be indicated. Slovenia criticised the use of imported honey from third countries in honey blends. This imported honey is often significantly cheaper than that produced in the EU (see EUROPE 13112/13).
The MEPs in question, including Irène Tolleret (Renew Europe, French) and Isabel Carvalhais (S&D, Portuguese), have written to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, to ask that honey imported from third countries be labelled “to indicate each country of origin, in descending order, and its respective share of honey”, to guide consumers in their choices and improve the added value of European honeys on the market.
The proposal to revise the Honey Directive is expected to be adopted by the Commission in March 2023.
Link to the letter from the MEPs: https://aeur.eu/f/5b5 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)