MEPs and EU trade organisations have welcomed the outcome of the European Parliament’s vote on the proposal on marketing standards for a number of products, including honey (see EUROPE 13312/26).
The European Parliament’s position (https://aeur.eu/f/a41 ) aims to provide “precise information to consumers on the composition of honey”, welcomed Irène Tolleret (Renew Europe, French). For the first time, origin labelling is being used as a “weapon to steer consumers towards products that comply with European production standards”, she said.
This vote signals “the end of honey fraud”, according to Anne Sander (EPP, French), who stresses that the Parliament’s position aims to put an end to “the deception that consists of making people believe that honeys are European products when in fact they come from China or Turkey, unfairly competing with European beekeeping”.
The Italian organisation Coldiretti has welcomed the obligation to indicate the origin of fruit used in juices and jams, as well as honey.
EU beekeepers (at Copa-Cogeca) have welcomed the compulsory indication of the percentages of each origin in descending order in honey blends, with a 5% margin of tolerance. The removal of the derogation excluding beekeepers with fewer than 150 hives from the compulsory implementation of the traceability system is seen as a welcome change. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)