Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
Date: 2025-09-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Andalusia, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, honey, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_202505297EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/5297


30.9.2025






Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
(C/2025/5297)

Following this publication, the authorities of a Member State or of a third country, or a natural or legal person having a legitimate interest and established or resident in a third country, may lodge, in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) an opposition with the Commission within three months from the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘Miel de Málaga’
                  


EU No: PDO-ES-2875 – 14.11.2022
                  


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s)


               ‘Miel de Málaga’
            
2.   Member State or Third country

Spain
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 1.4. Other products of animal origin (eggs, honey, various dairy products except butter, etc.)
Combined Nomenclature code:
04 – DAIRY PRODUCE; BIRDS' EGGS; NATURAL HONEY; EDIBLE PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDED

                  0409  – Natural honey
3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies


                  ‘Miel de Málaga’ is the food made by honeybees from flower nectar or from processed secretions from the living parts of plants located within the province of Málaga. The varied terrain and climate of the region allow as many as eight different (one multifloral and seven single-flower) varieties to be obtained, reflecting the region’s rich biodiversity. Each variety is characterised by different fruity and floral aromas, and flavours including, in particular, bitter, astringent, acidic and savoury notes that contrast with the common sweetness of the honey. At the same time, the accompanying flora adds particular nuances. The crystallisation of the honeys is as variable as their botanical origins. Moreover, the warm temperatures in the area accelerate the loss of moisture in the comb, accelerating maturation and, as a result, expediting the harvest of ‘Miel de Málaga’.
The honey must be classified according to its botanical origin:






(a)


Honey of floral or plant origin, made from the nectar of the most common plants in the province of Málaga:






—


chestnut single-flower honey (Castanea sativa)










—


rosemary single-flower honey (Rosmarinus officinalis)










—


thyme single-flower honey (Thymus sp.)










—


avocado single-flower honey (Persea americana)










—


orange blossom single-flower honey (Citrus sp.)










—


eucalyptus single-flower honey (Eucalyptus sp.)










—


multifloral honey.














(b)


Honeydew honey or forest honeydew honey, made mainly from the excretions of plant-sucking insects (Hemiptera) on the living parts of plants or from secretions from the living parts of plants.




General characteristics of all the honeys:
At the time of packaging, all the honeys must have:






—


moisture content: < 18,5 %










—


hydroxymethylfurfural: < 26 mg/kg




Specific physico-chemical, melissopalynological and organoleptic characteristics:









Type of honey


Specific characteristics




Physico-chemical


Melissopalynological


Organoleptic




Conductivity


Colour


 


 




Chestnut single-flower honey (Castanea sativa)



≥ 8 × 10–4 S/cm
The conductivity may be

< 8 × 10–4 S/cm if it contains mixtures of: strawberry tree (Arbustus unedo), argaña (Erica) and eucalyptus honeys


> 70 mm Pfund



Castanea sativa pollen must account for ≥ 70 % of the pollen spectrum and may be accompanied by pollens from the Leguminosae, Rosaceae and Cistaceae families.


Intense and persistent fruity aroma with a strong component of dried timber
Sweet taste with bitter and astringent notes
Does not crystallise




Rosemary single-flower honey (Rosmarinus officinalis)



< 4 × 10–4 S/cm


≤ 35 mm Pfund



Rosmarinus officinalis pollen must account for ≥ 10 % of the pollen spectrum and may be accompanied by pollens from the Rosaceae, Leguminosae, Brassicaceae, Cistaceae and Boraginaceae families.


Floral aroma of low intensity
Very sweet taste
Crystallises quickly




Thyme single-flower honey (Thymus sp.)



< 8 × 10–4 S/cm


> 40 mm Pfund



Thymus sp. pollen must account for ≥ 15 % of the pollen spectrum and may be accompanied by pollens from the Lamiaceae, Cistaceae, Brassicaceae, Boraginaceae and Leguminosae families.


Very intense floral aroma with a strong phenolic component
Sweet taste with clear acidic notes
Low crystallisation tendency




Avocado single-flower honey (Persea americana)


> 7 × 10–4 S/cm


> 80 mm Pfund



Persea americana pollen must account for ≥ 20 % of the pollen spectrum. If the pollen value is < 20 %, the perseitol content must be ≥ 0,2 %. It may be accompanied by pollens from the Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Leguminosae and Lamiaceae families.


Floral aroma with fruity notes
Sweet taste with savoury notes
Does not crystallise




Orange blossom single-flower honey (Citrus sp.)


< 5 × 10–4 S/cm


≤ 45 mm Pfund



Citrus sp. pollen must account for ≥ 15 % of the pollen spectrum and may be accompanied by a wide variety of other pollens.


Floral orange blossom aroma
Very sweet with acidic notes
Crystallises slowly




Eucalyptus single-flower honey (Eucalyptus sp.)


< 8 × 10–4 S/cm


< 80 mm Pfund



Eucalyptus sp. pollen must account for ≥ 70 % of the pollen spectrum and may be accompanied by pollens from the Cistaceae, Boraginaceae, Leguminosae and Asteraceae families.


Fruity aroma with notes of damp wood
Sweet with acidic notes
Medium crystallisation tendency




Multifloral honey


< 8 × 10–4 S/cm


 


The pollen spectrum must be made up of different flowers whose pollen is typically found in Málaga honeys.


Not applicable




Forest honeydew honey



≥ 8 × 10–4 S/cm
The conductivity may be

< 8 × 10–4 S/cm if it contains mixtures of: strawberry tree (Arbustus unedo), argaña (Erica) and eucalyptus honeys


> 65 mm Pfund


Nominal presence of pollen of cultivated species, and honeydew elements (HDEs) may be present in the pollen sediment.


Floral aroma with a malty component
Sweet with savoury notes
Crystallises slowly




3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area







(i)


Selection of capped frames










(ii)


Uncapping










(iii)


Extraction of the honey










(iv)


Decanting, filtering and ripening of the honey




3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product to which the registered name refers

The packaging must be made of glass, PET or other food-grade material and it must be hermetically closed, with a seal to guarantee that it has not been opened.
In order to guarantee origin and quality, all the processes described in the ‘method of production’ section must take place in centres located within the defined geographical area, including packaging, so that the honey cannot be mixed with honey from elsewhere and to prevent fraud.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product to which the registered name refers

The labels must be reviewed and approved by the Regulatory Board. The protected designation of origin ‘Miel de Málaga’ must appear prominently on the packaging labels.
All packaging used to market the honeys must have a numbered certification label, supplied by the Regulatory Board on a non-discriminatory basis, which must be affixed before dispatch in such a way that it cannot be reused.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The area where the beehives are located and the honey is extracted, i.e. the production area, comprises all the municipalities in the province of Málaga, in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.
The area covers a total of 7 306 km2 across 102 municipalities.
5.   Link with the geographical area

Beekeeping in Málaga goes back a very long way and has been documented for almost six centuries, with frequent references to the existence of apiaries in different parts of the province and to the quality and abundance of the honey, as described in the above paragraphs. In recent years, much more has been done to promote and market ‘Miel de Málaga’, thanks to the efforts of the Málaga Beekeepers Association [Asociación Malagueña de Apicultores].
Since it was set up over 22 years ago, the Málaga Beekeepers Association has worked to publicise and promote the value of ‘Miel de Málaga’, and this, coupled with the local beekeepers’ expertise, has ensured that it is an authentic product closely linked to Málaga.
Over the years there have been numerous activities publicising and promoting ‘Miel de Málaga’, in which thousands of people have been involved for whom ‘Miel de Málaga’ is now a familiar name.
The province of Málaga has rugged, mountainous terrain, although the peaks are not particularly high, with numerous sierras (Sierra de las Nieves, Serranía de Ronda, Las Yeguas, Axarquía, etc.) where bees have been kept and honey has been harvested since time immemorial. Honey is also harvested in lower-lying areas such as the valleys, especially the Guadalhorce valley.
In these long-isolated mountain areas, beekeeping has always been important to the economy and as a means of income diversification.
70 % of the apiaries are located in protected areas, which gives the honey added value. The rich flora in these areas, which includes endemic plant species, influences the pollen spectrum of the honeys produced there.

Agroclimatic grounds for demarcating the area

The province of Málaga is at a biogeographical crossroads, first, at a global level, because it is close to the Strait of Gibraltar, and therefore subject to Atlantic, Mediterranean, European and African influences, and second, at a regional level, because it occupies a central position in Andalusia and the south of the Iberian peninsula. Its rich and varied orography, lithology and bioclimate, with four vegetation zones and four precipitation intervals, mean that there is a wide range of plant ecosystems, which are grouped into seven biogeographical areas, distinguished from one another by their flora, vegetation and landscape and by land use.
Much of the beekeeping is done in the well-preserved 160 000 ha that enjoy some level of protection. The province of Málaga has five nature parks and one national park:






 


Sierra de las Nieves National Park










 


Sierra de las Nieves nature park










 


Montes de Málaga nature park










 


Sierra de Grazalema nature park










 


Los Alcornocales nature park




Sierras Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama nature park.
Beekeeping is also an important activity in the huge old chestnut groves of the Valle del Genal; in the holm and cork oak groves of the Serranía de Ronda; in the wild or cultivated areas where thyme, rockroses, sunflowers, anise, coriander, brooms, brambles, etc. grow in the Vega de Antequera; in the extensive avocado groves along the coast of Axarquía, which are found only in the coastal areas of Málaga and Granada.
The wealth of flora found in the province of Málaga and the full pollen spectrum mean that we can distinguish the honey we produce from that of the rest of the Iberian peninsula, and from honey produced in other EU countries or on other continents, as each region has a set of specific pollen markers and a characteristic flora.
In the tests carried out, 18 botanical families and 40 pollen types associated with Málaga’s melliferous flora were identified, which can be used as geographical markers, enabling us to distinguish our honey from honey produced elsewhere on the Iberian peninsula.

Table


Botanical families and pollen types







Family


Pollen Type




Fam. Lauraceae




Persea sp.




Fam. Ericaceae




Erica sp., Calluna sp.




Fam. Leguminosae




Medicago sp.




 



Cytisus sp., Genista sp.




 


mejediega, Dorycnium pentaphyllum





 


clover, Trifolium sp.




 



Vicia sp.




 



Lotus sp.




Fam. Fagaceae




Castanea sativa, Quercus sp.




Fam. Cruciferae



turnips, wild radish, Brassica sp., Raphanus sp.




 


wall-rocket, Diplotaxis sp.




Fam. Lamiaceae




Thymus sp., Lavandula sp.




Fam. Boraginaceae




Echium sp.




Fam. Rosaceae




Rubus sp., Prunus sp.




Fam. Compositae



thistle, Carduus sp., Galactites sp.




 


sunflower, Helianthus annuus, C. arvensis





 


dandelion, Taraxacum sp.




Fam. Salicaceae




Salix sp., Populus sp.




Fam. Rutaceae




Citrus sp., Ruta sp.




Fam. Papaveraceae




Hypecoum sp.




Fam. Myrtaceae




Eucalyptus sp.




Fam. Lauraceae




Laurus sp.




Fam. Cistaceae




Cistus sp.




Fam. Umbelliferae




Foeniculum sp., Ammi visnaga





Fam. Convolvulaceae




Convolvulus sp.




Fam. Dipsacaceae




Cephalaria






Climate

The region has a warm, temperate Mediterranean climate with long, hot, dry summers and short, mild winters. However, there are variations from one area to another depending on relief and geographical location. In general, the eastern coastal areas have a subtropical Mediterranean climate, while on the far eastern side an oceanic Mediterranean climate prevails, with more rain. The northern areas have a continental Mediterranean climate with colder winters.
This variation in climate has a direct impact on the sector and determines the internal transhumance routes taken by beekeepers as different plants successively come into bloom. The long hours of sunshine in the province of Málaga allow the hives to be active for a longer period of time, meaning that beekeepers can extract honey several times a year. ‘Miel de Málaga’ has very low levels of hydroxymethylfurfural because it is stored for such short periods inside the hive.
Average annual temperatures are between 7 °C and 31 °C. This mild climate throughout the year provides the honeys with a fluid consistency that allows them to be extracted at ambient temperature without having to heat the cap. This has a positive impact in that ‘Miel de Málaga’ has very low levels of hydroxymethylfurfural. These temperatures also promote moisture loss in the honey inside the hive, as a result of which the moisture content of ‘Miel de Málaga’ is very low.

Human factors

Among the natural factors that directly influence the product, climate and vegetation undoubtedly play an important role, and the human factors include the local beekeepers’ use of characteristic internal transhumance routes, which are essential for optimising the profitability of the hives.
The terrain, on account of the rich and varied melliferous flora that grows there, and the short flowering period of that flora determine the typical, traditional transhumance routes.
Most of Málaga’s beekeepers move within the province itself, and an especially characteristic movement is the movement between the interior and the coast. Given that different species flower at different times depending on altitude, the beekeepers move their hives vertically in search of flowers in bloom. Thus, for example, from February to May they are on the coast and in the valleys, looking for rosemary, orange blossom and avocado, and at the end of June they move up to the mountains in search of chestnut, thyme and eucalyptus.
In Málaga, as in other provinces, beekeeping is very common in rural areas and the apiaries are run mainly by families. It is one of the most organised sectors within agriculture and livestock farming, although its final agricultural output is not that significant. As beekeeping is done mainly in depressed and disadvantaged areas, it helps to maintain the rural population.

Reference to publication of the product specification

The specification can be found on the website of the Consejería de Agricultura, Pesca, Agua y Desarrollo Rural [Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development] at:

https://lajunta.es/5j1nz



(1)  Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11.4.2024 on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, as well as traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms for agricultural products, amending Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013, (EU) 2019/787 and (EU) 2019/1753 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (OJ L, 2024/1143, 23.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1143/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/5297/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)