EU Mandates Mandatory Honey Origin Labeling
EU to Require Honey Producers to Indicate Place of Origin and Exact Percentage on Bottles
In a move to benefit honey producers, Hungary has successfully initiated a proposal in the EU to make it compulsory to indicate the place of origin and exact percentage of honey on honey bottles. Minister of Agriculture István Nagy announced that the future labels of honey products in the EU will include clear information about the proportion of honey from each country in the product. This amendment to the honey directive will require all countries of origin to be indicated in descending order on honey mixture labels, including the exact percentages.
The Hungarian initiative, put forward in November 2019, has now been agreed upon between the Council and the European Parliament. This change not only supports Hungarian beekeepers but also aims to protect biodiversity. Additionally, it will help consumers in identifying and purchasing quality Hungarian honey. Furthermore, the mandatory origin marking with precise percentage will efficiently tackle the issue of honey of uncertain origin and dubious quality coming from outside the EU.
The minister emphasized that the new rules will greatly benefit both consumers and producers. It will allow consumers to make informed decisions about the honey they purchase while supporting the preservation of biodiversity. Furthermore, the mandatory origin marking can effectively combat the influx of imported honey of inferior quality.
In response to the Hungarian initiative and the interests of honey producers, the EU will put the new rules in place to strengthen the labeling requirements for honey products. The changes will make it easier for consumers to identify the origin and percentage of the honey in the product and will benefit honey producers within the EU.
