Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey
Date: 2001-12-20
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: consumer information, honey, labelling, marketing standard, originating product, product designation

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COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2001/110/EC

of 20 December 2001

relating to honey

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(5)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 37 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (3),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Certain vertical directives relating to foods should be
simplified in order to take account only of the essential
requirements to be met by the products they cover in
order that those products may move freely within the
internal market, in accordance with the conclusions of
the European Council held in Edinburgh on 11 and 12
December 1992, confirmed by those of the European
Council

in Brussels on 10 and 11 December 1993.

Council Directive 74/409/EEC of 22 July 1974 on the
harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating
to honey (4) was justified by the fact that differences
between national laws on the definition of honey, the
various types of honey and the characteristics required
of it could result in conditions of unfair competition
likely to mislead consumers, and thereby have a direct
effect on the establishment and functioning of
the
common market.

established

definitions,

Directive 74/409/EEC and its subsequent amendments
consequently
the
different types of honey which could be placed on the
market under appropriate names,
laid down common
rules on composition and determined the main labelling
information so as to ensure the free movement of these
products within the Community.

specified

For the sake of clarity Directive 74/409/EEC should be
recast, in order to make rules on the conditions for the
production and marketing of honey more accessible and
to bring it into line with general Community legislation
on foodstuffs, particularly legislation on labelling,
contaminants and methods of analysis.

(1) OJ C 231, 9.8.1996, p. 10.
(2) OJ C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 91.
(3) OJ C 56, 24.2.1997, p. 20.
(4) OJ L 221, 12.8.1974, p. 10. Directive as last amended by the 1985

Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal.

it is indispensable that full

the European Parliament and of

The general food-labelling rules laid down in Directive
2000/13/EC of
the
Council (5) should apply subject to certain conditions. In
view of the close link between the quality of honey and
its origin,
information on
those matters be available so that the consumer is not
misled regarding the quality of the product. The partic-
ular consumer interests as regards the geographical char-
acteristics of honey and full transparency in this regard
necessitate that the country of origin where the honey
has been harvested should be included in the labelling.

(6)

(7)

(8)

No pollen or other individual ingredient of honey is to
be removed, unless that is inevitable when organic and
inorganic foreign materials are removed. That process
may be carried out by filtering. Where such filtering
leads to the removal of a significant quantity of pollen,
the consumer must be correctly informed to that effect
by means of an appropriate indication on the label.

the name of which includes

Honey
indications
concerning floral, vegetable, regional, territorial or topo-
graphical origin or specific quality criteria may not have
filtered honey added to it. So that the transparency of
the market may be improved, the labelling of filtered
honeys and baker's honeys must be mandatory for every
transaction on the bulk market.

As the Commission stressed in its communication to the
European Parliament and the Council of 24 June 1994
on European apiculture, the Commission may adopt
methods of analysis to ensure compliance with the
compositional characteristics and additional
specific
statements for all honey marketed in the Community.

(9)

It is desirable to take account of the work achieved on a
new Codex standard for honey, adjusted, as appropriate,
to the specific requirements of the Community.

(10)

In accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and
proportionality established by Article 5 of the Treaty,
the objective of laying down common definitions and
rules for the products concerned and bringing the provi-
sions into line with general Community legislation on
sufficiently achieved by the
foodstuffs
the
Member States and can therefore, by reason of
nature of
this Directive, be better achieved by the
Community. This Directive does not go beyond what is
necessary to achieve the said objective.

cannot be

(5) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29.

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(11)

(12)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down
the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (1).

To avoid creating new barriers to free movement,
Member States should refrain from adopting, for the
products in question, national provisions not provided
for by this Directive,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:

Article 1

This Directive shall apply to the products defined in Annex I.
These products shall meet the requirements set out in Annex II.

Article 2

Directive 2000/13/EC shall apply to the products defined in
Annex I, subject to the following conditions:

1. the term ‘honey’ shall be applied only to the product
defined in Annex I, point 1, and shall be used in trade to
designate that product;

2. the product names referred to in Annex I, points 2 and 3,
shall apply only to the products defined therein and shall be
used in trade to designate them. These names may be
replaced by the simple product name ‘honey’, except in the
case of filtered honey, comb honey, chunk honey or cut
comb in honey and baker's honey.

However,

(a) in the case of baker's honey, the words ‘intended for
cooking only’ shall appear on the label in close prox-
imity to the product name;

(b) except in the case of filtered honey and baker's honey,
the product names may be supplemented by informa-
tion referring to:

— floral or vegetable origin,

the product comes
wholly or mainly from the indicated source and
possesses the organoleptic, physico-chemical and
microscopic characteristics of the source,

if

— regional, territorial or topographical origin,

if the
product comes entirely from the indicated source,

— specific quality criteria;

3. where baker's honey has been used as an ingredient in a
compound foodstuff, the term ‘honey’ may be used in the
product name of the compound food instead of the term
‘baker's honey’. However, in the list of ingredients, the term
as referred to in Annex I, point 3, shall be used;

4.

(a) the country or countries of origin where the honey has

if the honey originates in more than one
However,
Member State or third country that indication may be
replaced with one of the following, as appropriate:
— ‘blend of EC honeys’,
— ‘blend of non-EC honeys’,
— ‘blend of EC and non-EC honeys’.

(b) For the purpose of Directive 2000/13/EC and in partic-
ular Articles 13, 14, 16 and 17 thereof, the particulars
to be indicated according to subparagraph (a) shall be
considered as indications according to Article 3 of that
Directive.

Article 3

In the case of
filtered honey and baker's honey, bulk
containers, packs and trade documents shall clearly indicate the
full product name, as referred to in Annex I, point 2(b)(viii),
and point 3.

Article 4

The Commission may adopt methods to permit verification of
compliance of honey with the provisions of this Directive.
These methods shall be adopted in accordance with the proce-
dure laid down in Article 7(2). Until the adoption of such
methods, Member States shall, whenever possible, use interna-
tionally recognised validated methods such as those approved
by Codex Alimentarius to verify compliance with the provi-
sions of this Directive.

Article 5

For the products defined in Annex I, Member States shall not
adopt national provisions not provided for by this Directive.

Article 6

the implementation of

this
The measures necessary for
Directive relating to the matters referred to below shall be
adopted in accordance with the procedure set out in Article
7(2):
— bringing this Directive into line with general Community

legislation on foodstuffs,

— adaptations to technical progress.

Article 7

The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing
1.
Committee on Foodstuffs
‘the
(hereinafter
Committee’) set up by Article 1 of Decision 69/414/EEC (2).

referred to as

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

been harvested shall be indicated on the label.

3.

The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.

(1) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

(2) OJ L 291, 19.11.1969, p. 9.

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Article 8

Directive 74/409/EEC is hereby repealed with effect from 1
August 2003.

References to the repealed Directive shall be construed as refer-
ences to this Directive.

Article 9

Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this
Directive before 1 August 2003. They shall forthwith inform
the Commission thereof.

The measures shall be applied so as to:
— authorise the marketing of the products defined in Annex I
if they conform to the definitions and rules laid down in
this Directive, with effect from 1 August 2003;

— prohibit the marketing of products which fail to conform
to this Directive, with effect from 1 August 2004.

However, the marketing of products which fail to conform to
this Directive and labelled before 1 August 2004 in accordance
with Directive 74/409/EEC shall be permitted until stocks run
out.

When Member States adopt these measures, these shall contain
a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such
reference on the occasion of their official publication. The
methods of making such reference shall be laid down by
Member States.

Article 10

This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following
that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European
Communities.

Article 11

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 20 December 2001.

For the Council

The President

C. PICQUÉ

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ANNEX I

NAMES, PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS AND DEFINITIONS

1. Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from the nectar of plants or from secretions of
living parts of plants or excretions of plant-sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which the bees collect,
transform by combining with specific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store and leave in honeycombs to
ripen and mature.

2. The main types of honey are as follows:

(a) according to origin:

(i) blossom honey or nectar honey

Honey obtained from the nectar of plants;

(ii) honeydew honey

Honey obtained mainly from excretions of plant sucking insects (Hemiptera) on the living part of plants or
secretions of living parts of plants;

(b) according to mode of production and/or presentation:

(iii) comb honey

Honey stored by bees in the cells of freshly built broodless combs or thin comb foundation sheets made
solely of beeswax and sold in sealed whole combs or sections of such combs;

(iv) chunk honey or cut comb in honey

Honey which contains one or more pieces of comb honey;

(v) drained honey

Honey obtained by draining decapped broodless combs;

(vi) extracted honey

Honey obtained by centrifuging decapped broodless combs;

(vii) pressed honey

Honey obtained by pressing broodless combs with or without the application of moderate heat not exceeding
45 °C;
(viii) filtered honey

Honey obtained by removing foreign inorganic or organic matter in such a way as to result in the significant
removal of pollen.

3. Baker's honey

Honey which is (a) suitable for industrial uses or as an ingredient in other foodstuffs which are then processed and (b)
may:
— have a foreign taste or odour, or
— have begun to ferment or have fermented, or
— have been overheated.

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ANNEX II

COMPOSITION CRITERIA FOR HONEY

Honey consists essentially of different sugars, predominantly fructose and glucose as well as other substances such as
organic acids, enzymes and solid particles derived from honey collection. The colour of honey varies from nearly
colourless to dark brown. The consistency can be fluid, viscous or partly to entirely crystallised. The flavour and aroma
vary, but are derived from the plant origin.

When placed on the market as honey or used in any product intended for human consumption, honey shall not have
added to it any food ingredient, including food additives, nor shall any other additions be made other than honey. Honey
must, as far as possible, be free from organic or inorganic matters foreign to its composition. With the exception of point
3 of Annex I, it must not have any foreign tastes or odours, have begun to ferment, have an artificially changed acidity or
have been heated in such a way that the natural enzymes have been either destroyed or significantly inactivated.

Without prejudice to Annex I, point 2(b)(viii), no pollen or constituent particular to honey may be removed except where
this is unavoidable in the removal of foreign inorganic or organic matter.

When placed on the market as honey or used in any product intended for human consumption, honey must meet the
following composition criteria:

1.

Sugar content

1.1. Fructose and glucose content (sum of both)

— blossom honey

not less than 60 g/100 g

— honeydew honey, blends of honeydew honey with blossom honey

not less than 45 g/100 g

1.2. Sucrose content

— in general

— false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Menzies
Banksia (Banksia menziesii), French honeysuckle (Hedysarum), red
gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis), leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida, Eucry-
phia milliganii), Citrus spp.

not more than 5 g/100 g

not more than 10 g/100 g

— lavender (Lavandula spp.), borage (Borago officinalis)

not more than 15 g/100 g

2. Moisture content

— in general

— heather (Calluna) an baker's honey in general

— baker's honey from heather (Calluna)

3. Water-insoluble content

— in general

— pressed honey

4.

Electrical conductivity

not more than 20 %

not more than 23 %

not more than 25 %

not more than 0,1 g/100 g

not more than 0,5 g/100 g

— honey not listed below, and blends of these honeys

not more than 0,8 mS/cm

— honeydew and chestnut honey and blends of these except with

those listed below

not more than 0,8 mS/cm

— exceptions: strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), bell heather (Erica),
eucalyptus, lime (Tilia spp.), ling heather (Calluna vulgaris), manuka
or jelly bush (leptospermum), tea tree (Melaleuca spp.)

5.

Free acid

— in general

— baker's honey

not more than 50 milli-equivalents
acid per 1 000 grammes

not more than 80 milli-equivalents
acid per 1 000 grammes

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6. Diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content (HMF) determined after processing and blending

(a) Diastase activity (Schade scale)

— in general, except baker's honey

not less than 8

— honeys with low natural enzyme content (e.g. citrus honeys)

and an HMF content of not more than 15 mg/kg

not less than 3

(b) HMF

— in general, except baker's honey

not more than 40 mg/kg (subject to
the provisions of (a), second indent)

— honeys of declared origin from regions with tropical climate

not more than 80 mg/kg

and blends of these honeys