Source: European Parliament
Council Directive 2001/110/EC[1], as amended by Directive (EU) 2024/1438[2], establishes a Honey Platform that shall, among others, provide recommendations with a view to establishing a Union reference laboratory.
The Commission launched a call to set up the Honey Platform[3] on 13 June 2024 (day of entry into force of the revised Directive), and the first meeting was held on 6 November 2024. The topic of a Union reference laboratory will be part of the subjects to be discussed by the platform.
As mentioned in reply to written questions E-000209/2024[4] and 000343/2024[5], the Commission adopted measures to address honey adulteration at EU level.
EU import requirements were reinforced with an authenticity requirement for exporting countries[6] and the import of honey is now only allowed from listed establishments.
In 2023, the Commission launched a project to harmonise analytical methods to better detect honey adulterants, and Directive (EU) 2024/1438 introduced mandatory origin labelling for honey blends and provisions allowing for progress on traceability and authenticity.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2001/110/oj/eng
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32024L1438
- [3] https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupId=3963&fromMeetings=true&meetingId=57603
- [4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2024-000209-ASW_EN.html
- [5] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2024-000343-ASW_EN.html
- [6] http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2020/2235/oj