Brussels, 04/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 4 November 2008, the European Parliament's agriculture committee recommended immediate action to deal with the serious crisis facing the bee-keeping industry. The European Parliament will debate the problem of high bee mortality in Strasbourg on Tuesday 18 November 2008.
A slump in pollen and nectar because of the extension of farming and the use of chemical products in farming, greater vulnerability to parasites and diseases like Varroa spp. (aka bee AIDS) due to imbalanced nutrition: the bee population has fallen alarmingly in recent years, threatening bee production and pollination, so vital for many varieties of fruit and vegetable.
The draft parliamentary resolution submitted by Astrid Lulling (EPP-ED, Luxembourg) urges the European Commission to limit the danger of insufficient pollination and foresee financial aid for distressed bee-keepers suffering due to the collapse of their bee populations. Member states are urged to provide immediate aid to the bee-keeping industry.
MEPs are calling for the establishment of measures, under the CAP health check, to encourage the creation of ecological compensation zones like laying land aside for bees. Such areas could be set up in difficult-to-farm areas where plants could be grown that provide significant sources of nectar (like California bluebell, borage, wild mustard and white clover).
The MEPs also call on the Commission to carry out research into the connection between the high bee mortality level and the use of pesticides (thiamethoxane, imidaclopride, clothianidine and fipronil), to coordinate the information available in the member states on this subject, and to take appropriate measures where necessary. The MEPs call on the Commission to carry out research as soon as possible on parasites and diseases that are decimating bee populations, and to provide the budget resources to incorporate measures to tackle these diseases in EU veterinary policy. They also call for the country of origin to be added to labelling of honey and for imported honey to be analysed to detect whether “American foulbrood” disease is present. (L.C./transl.fl)