Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey
Date: 1996-11-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: action programme, apiculture, honey, marketing, production improvement

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 21  II  19% 
COM(96) 5% final 

96/0282  (CNS) 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION  (HO 

laying down general rules for the application  of measures to improve 
the production and marketing  of honey 

(presented  by  lhe Commission) 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

This proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  is being  submitted  at the  request of the  Agriculture 
Council  meeting  of  October  1994  following  an  exchange  of  views  on  the  Commission's 
communication  entitled  "Discussion Paper on the  Situation  of  European  Apiculture". 

The purpose of the proposal  is to  improve the conditions  for  the production  and  marketing 
of  honey  in  the  European  Union  by  means  of  national  programmes  including  technical 
assistance  measures,  controlling  varroasis  and  associated  disease,  the  rationalization  of 
transhumance  and  the analysis of honey  by regional  beekeeping  laboratories. 

The  measure  for  controlling  varroasis  is  not  an  eradication  programme  but  is  intended  to 
reduce  the economic  impact of  that disease on  the  profitability  of  production. 

It  also provides for  a study  by the  Member  States of the  structure  of the  sector  in  terms of 
production  and  marketing. 

•-dU^ 

Proposa!  for  a 

COUNCIL  REGULATION  (EC)  No  ..../.. 

of 

1996 

laying  down  general  rules  for  the  application  of  measures  to  improve 
the  production  and  marketing  of  honey 

THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 

Articles  42  and  43  thereof, 

Having  regard  to  the  proposal  from  the  Commission1, 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  European  Parliament', 

Having  regard  to  the  opinion  of  the  Economic  and  Social  Committee3, 
Whereas  the  Commission  has  sent  to  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament  a 
discussion  paper  on  European  beekeeping4  in  which  the  situation  and  the  difficulties  of 
this  sector  have  been  explained; 

Whereas beekeeping  is a sector  of agriculture, the main functions  of which  are  economic 
activity  and  rural  development,  the  production  of  honey  and  other  products  of  the  hive 
and  the  maintenance  of  ecological  balance; 

Whereas  the  sector  is marked  by  diversity  of  production  conditions  and  yields  and  by  the 
dispersion  and  variety  of  producers  and  traders;  whereas  there  is  an  imbalance  between 
supply  and  demand  on  the  Community  market  for  honey; 

Whereas,  in  view  of  the  spread  of varroasis  in  several  Member  States  in  recent  years  and 
the  resulting  problems  for  honey  production,  action  by  the  Community  is  necessary; 

Whereas, given these circumstances  and in order to improve the production  and  marketing 
of honey  in the Community,  national  programmes should be established  without delay  for 

COM  (94)  256  final. 

each  year  comprising 
technical  assistance,  measures  to  control  varroasis  and  related 
diseases,  a  rationalization  of  transhumance,  the  management  of  regional  beekeeping 
centres  and  cooperation  on research  programmes  to improve  the  quality  of  honey; 

Whereas, in order to supplement the statistical data available, Member States should carry 
out  studies  on  the  structure  of  the  sector,  covering  production,  marketing  and  price 
formation; 

Whereas expenditure  by the Member  States in fulfilment  of the  obligations  arising  from 
this  Regulation  should  be  borne  by  the  Community  pursuant  to  Article  3  of  Council 
Regulation  (EEC) No 729/70 on the financing  of the common agricultural  policy5,  as last 
amended  by  Regulation  (EEC) No  2048/886; 

Whereas  a financial  reference  amount,  within  the meaning  of point  2 of the  Declaration 
by  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  of  6 March  1995,  is 
included  in  this Regulation,  without  affecting  the  powers  of  the  budgetary  authority  as 
defined  in the  Treaty, 

HAS  ADOPTED  THIS  REGULATION: 

Article  1 

1.  This  Regulation  lays  down  measures  for  improving  general  conditions  for  the 
production  and  marketing  of  natural  honey.  These  measures  shall  be  included  in 
national  programmes  for  each  year. 

2.  The  measures  shall  be: 

(a) 

technical  assistance to members  of beekeepers'  associations  and  honey  houses 
with  a view  to  improving  the  conditions  for  the  production  and  extracticn  of 
honey; 

(b) 

the control of varroasis and related diseases; improvement  of the conditions  for 
the treatment  of  hives  and  the harvesting,  storage  and  packaging  of  honey; 

(c) 

rationalization  of  transhumance; 

(d)  measures to support laboratories carrying out analyses on the  physico-chemical 

properties  of  honey; 

(e) 

cooperation with  specialized bodies for the implementation  of  applied  research 
programmes  to  improve  the  quality  of  honey. 

O J N oL  94, 28.4.1970,  p.13. 
O J N oL  185,  15.7.1988,  p.  1. 

Article  2 

In  order  to  be  eligible  for  the  part-financing  provided  for  in  Article  3,  Member  States 
shall carry out a study of the production  and  marketing structures in the beekeeping  sector 
in  their  territory  by  1 July  1997. 

Article  3 

Expenditure  made  in  accordance with  this Regulation  shall  be  considered  as  expenditure 
within  the  meaning  of  Article  3  of  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  729/70. 

The  Community  shall  provide  part-financing  for  the  national  programmes  equuivalent 
to  50%  of  the  expenditure  borne  by  Member  States, 

The financial  reference  amount for implementing this Regulation  shall  be ECU  15 million 
per  year. 

The  annual  appropriations  shall  be authorized  by the budgetary  authority  within  the  limit 
of  the  financial  perspective. 

In  order  to  be  eligible  for  part-financing,  expenditure  by  the  Member  States  on  the 
programmes  referred  to  in  Article  1(1)  must  be  made  by  15 October  each  year. 

Article  4 

The programmes  referred  to in Article  1(1) shall  be drawn  up  in  close  collaboration  with 
the representative  professional  beekeepers' organizations. Programmes  shall  be  forwarded 
to the Commission, which  shall approve them in accordance with the procedure laid  down 
in  Article  17  of  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  2771/75  of  29  October  1975  on  the 
common  organization  of  the  market  in  eggs7. 

Measures  contained  in  operational  programmes  for  Objective  1, 5(b)  and  6 regions  shall 
be  excluded  from  these  programmes. 

Article  5 

Detailed  rules  for  the  application  of  this  Regulation,  in  particular  those  relating  to 
monitoring,  shall  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  procedure  laid  down  in  Article  17 
of  Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  2771/75. 

7  OJ  No  L  282,  1.11.1975,  p.  49,  Regulation  last  amended  by  Regulation  (EEC) 

No  1574/93  (OJ  No  L  152,  24.6.1993,  p.  1). 

Article  6 

The Commission  shall  present to the Council  every three years a report on the application 
of  this Regulation,  initially  by  (1  July  2000)  at the latest. 

Article  7 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  third  day  following  its  publication  in  the 
Official  Journal  of  the European  Communities. 

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 
States. 

Done  at 

For  the  Council 
The  President 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

TITLE  OF  OPERATION 

Draft  Regulation  laying  down  general  rules  for  the  application  of  measures  to 
improve the production  and marketing  of honey 

BUDGET  HEADING  INVOLVED 
B1-254 

LEGAL  BASIS 
Article 43 of the Treaty 

DESCRIPTION  OF  OPERATION 

4.1  General  objective 

To improve the production  and marketing  of honey. 
This  objective  can  be  attained  by  setting  up  national  programmes 
comprising  priority  measures.  The  Council  has  accepted  the  conclusions 
of  the  discussion  paper  on  European  beekeeping  [COM(94)  256  final, 
24.6.1994]  and  asked  the  Commission  to  submit  to  it  an  appropriate 
proposal  as soon as possible. 
The  European  Parliament,  while  accepting  the  conclusions  of  the 
Commission's  discussion  paper,  is calling for  additional  assistance  to the 
sector by  means of pollination  aid,  compensation  for  loss of  income and 
specific  marketing  standards for  honey. 
The priority  measures are: 
(a) 
technical  assistance, 
(b)  measures to control  varroasis, 
(c) 
(d)  measures to assist  honey  analysis 
(e) 

cooperation  on  research  programmes  to  improve  the  quality  of 
honey. 

rationalization  of transhumance, 

4.2 

Period  covered  and  arrangements  for  renewal  or  extension 
The  Regulation  has  an  unspecified  period  of  validity  and  provides  for 
permanent  measures  which  may  be  periodically  adapted  to  changing 
circumstances. Long-term  measures are necessary to enable beekeepers to 
survive the  increase  in  production  costs  required  by  varroasis  treatment. 
Varroasis cannot be fully  eradicated  because some resistant mites always 
remain  in infested  colonies which can re-infest  the colony  if the treatment 
is not  repeated  each year. 

S 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  EXPENDITURE  OR  REVENUE 

5.1 

Compulsory  expenditure 

5.2 

Non-differentiated  appropriations 

TYPE  OF  EXPENDITURE 

50%  of  the  financing  of  the  national  programmes  will  be  borne  by  the  Member 
States  and  50%  by  the  Commission.  The  Commission  will  lay  down  detailed 
implementing  rules  to  cover  expenditure  incurred  by  the  national  programmes, 
particularly  payment  applications,  time  limits  for  submission  of  applications  and 
conditions  to  be  met  by  applicants. 

FINANCIAL  IMPACT 

7.1  Method  of  calculating  total  cost  of  operation  (definition  of  unit  costs) 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Technical  assistance 
Estimated  expenditure:  Training  courses:  ECU  18  million  x  50% 
=  ECU  0.9  million 
Control  of  varroasis 
Cost  of  treatment:  ECU  3/hive 
Number  of  hives:  7.7  million 
Estimated  expenditure:  ECU  3/hive  x  7.7  million  hives  x  50% 
ECU  11.6  million 
Rationalization  of  transhumance 
Estimated  expenditure:  ECU  1 million  x  50%  =  ECU  0.5  million 
Honey  analysis 
Average  cost  of  analysis:  ECU  60 3/sample 
Number  of  samples  (estimate)  for  the  EU: 
-  Greece,  Spain,  France,  Italy:  10 000  samples/year  x 4  : 40  000 

: 

samples/year 

-  Other  Member  States:  2  000  samples/year  x  11  =  22  000 

samples/year 
IUJ  total:  62  000  samples/year 

- 
Estimated  expenditure:  ECU  60/sample  x  62  000  samples/year  x 
50%  =  ECU  1.9 million. 
Research  on  quality,  estimate:  ECU  200  000/year  x  50%  :  0.1 
ECU  million 

£ 

7.2 

Itemised  breakdown  of  cost 

n=1997 

n+1 

n+2 

n+3 

n+4 

n+5 

Technical 
assistance 

Control  of 
varroasis 

Rationalization  of 
transhumance 

Honey  analysis 

Cooperation  on 
research  to 
improve  quality 

Total 

token 
entry 

token 
entry 

token 
entry 

token 
entry 

token 
entry 

token 
entry 

0.9 

0.9 

0.9 

0.9 

0.9 

11.6 

11.6 

11.6 

11.6 

11.6 

0.5 

1.9 

0.1 

0.5 

0.5 

0.5 

0.5 

1.9 

1.9 

1.9 

1.9 

0.1 

0.1 

0.1 

0.1 

15.0 

15.0 

15.0 

15.0 

15.0 

FRAUD  PREVENTION  MEASURES 

Specific  control  measures  provided  for: 

The  Commission  will  adopt  measures  for  checks  to  be  carried  out  by  both  the 
Community  and  national  authorities  when  it  adopts  the  implementing  rules. 

These  measures  will  concern,  in  particular,  checks  on  implementation  of  the 
different  measures  in  the  national  programmes  (verification  of  supporting 
documents,  on-the-spot  checks  at  beekeeping  organizations,  laboratories,  etc.). 
Existing  registers  of  beekeepers  in  the  Member  States  should  facilitate  these 
checks. 

ELEMENTS  OF  COST-EFFECTIVENESS  ANALYSIS 

9.1 

Specific  and  quantified  objectives;  target  population 

Specific  objectives: 

training  schemes  for  beekeepers  and 

The  purpose  of  the  technical  assistance  is  to  increase  the  efficiency  of 
production  and  marketing  by  spreading  the  best  practices.  Courses  and 
other 
for 
those  responsible 
groups/cooperatives 
topics  such  as  breeding 
(particularly  queens)  and  disease  prevention,  the  collection,  packaging, 
storage  and  transport  of  honey,  and  marketing.  These  courses  are  greatly 

in  particular, 

include, 

'Y 

in  demand  and  the  beekeeping  associations  need  assistance  in  order  to 
meet  the  demand. 

The purpose of the measures to control  varroasis and related  diseases is to 
offset  the  expenditure  incurred  by  the  treatment  of  hives.  This  parasitic 
disease  is  drastically  reducing  yields  throughout  the  Union  and  colonies 
are being lost if no treatment  is applied.  One of the reasons for  the spread 
of other related  diseases is that colonies have been weakened by varroasis. 
Varroasis  cannot  be  fully  eradicated  because  some  resistant  mites  always 
remain  in  infested  colonies  and  may  re-infest  the  colony  if  the  treatment 
is not repeated each year. The treatment of hives using authorized  products 
(which  do  not  leave  residues  in  the honey)  is the  only  way  of  preventing 
catastrophic  consequences.  A  financial  contribution 
is  also  deemed 
necessary  to  prevent  the  use  of  ineffective  treatments.  The  measures 
undertaken  in  1986,  1987  and  1989  on  the  initiative  of  the  European 
Parliament  to  inform  beekeepers  and  diagnose  the  extent  of  the  disease 
consumed  less than  ECU  2 million  of budget  funds  in three years.  There 
are  currently  no  measures  operational  in  this  area. 

The  purpose  of  the  aid  for  the  rationalization  of  transhumance  is  to 
manage  the  movement  of  hives  within  the  Community  and  to  provide 
suitable sites in areas where there is a high  concentration  of beekeepers in 
the flowering  season.  A compulsory  transhumance register to be drawn up 
jointly  by  beekeeping  organizations  and  the  competent  authorities  will 
facilitate  the management  and  control  of movement  during transhumance, 
particularly  where  professional  beekeepers  are  concerned.  In  view  of  the 
great  variety  of  measures  in  force  in  the  different  regions  of  the 
Community  there  is  a need  for  harmonization. 

The purpose  of  assistance  for  honey  analysis  is to improve the  marketing 
of  honey.  The financing  of analysis  of the physico-chemical  properties  of 
honey  according  to  botanical  origin  will  provide  beekeepers  with  exact 
knowledge  of  the  quality  of their  honey,  thereby  enabling  them  to  obtain 
the  best  price  for  their  product  on  the  market.  Beekeepers  are  curren ly 
faced  with  increased  production  costs  when  they  try  to  improve  their 
honey  production  because  honey  analysis  is very  expensive. 

Research  in  the  food  sector  generally  contributes  to  increasing  the 
efficiency  of  production.  The  possibility  of  including  specific  applied 
research  projects  (i.e.  at  regional  level)  relating  to  bee-rearing  and 
improving 
in  the  national  programmes  and 
disseminating  the  results  could  help  increase  the  income  of  producers  in 
specific  regions. 

the  quality  of  honey 

Target  population: 

According  to the census  of the  sector there  are 435  000 beekeepers  in  the 
Union.  Estimates  place  the  number  of  professional  beekeepers  at  13 000, 
with  3.5  million  hives representing  42% of all the hives in the Union.  The 
Regulation  also  targets  consumers  of  honey,  who  will  enjoy  honey  of 

e> 

superior  quality  as a result  of the improved  treatment  of hives (reduction 
of residues)  and  more widespread  honey  analysis. 

9.2  Grounds  for  the  operation 

Need for  a contribution from  the Community  budget 

In order to control  the Varroa mite present in almost all the Member States 
successfully,  diagnosis  and treatment  is needed  in all  the Member  States. 
Rationalization  of  transhumance  and  laboratory  work  on  the  analysis  of 
honey  also require  a Community-level  approach. 

In  October  1994,  therefore,  after  studying  the  Commission's  discussion 
paper on European beekeeping (COM(94) 256 final), the Council asked the 
Commission  to  present  it  with  proposals  for  a  framework  Council 
Regulation  including the objectives  set out  at 4.1 above. 

Since  the  main  objective  of  the  proposed  measures  is  to  bring  down 
production  costs  and  improve  the  return  on  the  marketed  product  and, 
consequently,  enhance  the  income  of  producers,  a contribution  from  the 
EAGGF  Guarantee  Section  is warranted 

Choice of financing methods 

Community  part-financing  of  national  programmes  comprising  priority 
measures  has  been  opted  for  because  of  the diversity  of  situations  in  the 
sector  in  the  different  regions  of  the  Community.  It  would  not  be 
appropriate to set up a market organization  specifically  for honey. In view 
of the experience gained  from  a number of aid schemes for  beekeeping in 
the  past,  it  would  be  impossible  at  this  time  to  design  a  general  aid 
scheme  such  as direct  income  support.  Programmes  can  only  be worked 
out  and  implemented  through  close  cooperation  between  the  competent 
authorities in the Member  States and the beekeeping organizations, whose 
regional  and  local  networks  can  complement  the  existing  administrative 
structures. 

Analysis of previous simitar  measures 

Localized  measures  in  some  regions  of  the  Union,  such  as  technical 
assistance, varroasis control  programmes, analysis of the physico-chemical 
properties  of  honey  and  structural  measures  have  had  positive  results. At 
Community  level,  beekeepers  can  already  benefit  from  general  structural 
measures,  but  these  are  not  suited  to  the  specific  requirements  of  the 
sector. They  are also too few  and far between  and their  implementation  is 
left  to the discretion  of the regions in  question. 

9 

9.3  Monitoring  and  evaluation  of the  operation 

The Commission  is to present  a report  on  the application  of (he proposed 
Regulation  every  three years. 

10 

ADMINISTRATIVE  EXPENDITURE  (PART  OF  SECTION  III  OF  THE  BUDGET) 

10.1 

Impact  on staff  posts 

Staff  allocated  to  management  of  measure 

of which 

Duration 

Type  of post 

Permanent 
post 

Temporary 
post 

using existing 
resources 

Officials  or 
temporary 
officials 

A 
B 
C 

0.5 
0.3 
0.2 

Other 
resources 

TOTAL 

-

1.0 

-

-

0.5 
0.3 
0.2 

-

1.0 

These staff  are for  the most part available in DG  VI/D/3, but support will 
be required from  some other units (VI/B/2, VI/F/I and II, VI/G, III/E/I) for 
certain  specific  technical  and  administrative  matters. 

10.2  Overall  financial  implications  of additional  human  resources 

None. 

10.3 

Increase in other operational  expenditure  resulting from  the measure 

Budget  heading 
(number  and  title) 

Amounts 

Calculation  method 

A2510 (Management  ECU 44 400 
Committee 
meetings) 

Missions 

ECU  5 000 

TOTAL 

ECU  49 400 

2 meetings at 
ECU  22 200  for  15 
Member  States 

5 missions  (2 days 
each) x ECU  1  000 

/O 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 596  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03  02  15  11 

Catalogue number  :  CB-C0-96-592-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-11660-2 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

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