[Pollinator] From EU Commerz: Save Europe's Bees

[Ladadams at aol.com]

EU News  > Regulations & directives
Save Europe’s bees



Bee mortality is rising while the number of beekeepers in  Europe is 
declining, all of which could have a serious impact on food production  since most 
plants and crops are pollinated by bees. 
The EP Agriculture Committee therefore wants the EU to step up support to 
the  beekeeping industry when the common agricultural policy is next 
revamped.  
With 76% of food production and 84% of plant species dependent on 
pollination  by bees, the committee approved a draft resolution on Wednesday calling 
on the  Commission to increase aid to the beekeeping sector in the common 
agricultural  policy (CAP) after 2013, by reviewing legislation and increasing 
financial  support as well as investment in research.  
Enhanced labelling rules and controls, further research on bee mortality 
and  the inclusion of bee diseases in EU veterinary policy are among 
recommendations  in the resolution, which was adopted by 30 votes to 0 with 1 
abstention.  
MEPs also urge the Commission to set up an action plan for tackling bee  
mortality that would include promoting pollinator-friendly farming practices,  
and to maintain and improve existing support programmes, which are due to 
expire  in 2012.  
Changes in labelling needed to guarantee quality  
With imports accounting for over 40% of the honey sold in Europe, the  
committee wants EU food quality policy legislation to be updated to improve  
rules on labelling of origin so to avoid misleading information on blends of  
honey from EU and non-EU countries. Moreover, border controls, especially for 
 third country imports, should be harmonised since low-quality honey 
imports,  adulteration and honey substitutes distort the market and exert constant 
 pressure on prices and the final quality of product on the EU’s internal 
market.  
Furthermore, any processed products advertised as containing honey, should 
be  allowed to make reference to honey in the denomination of the product 
only if at  least 50% of the sugar originates from honey, MEPs added.  
Better disease control 
EU veterinary policy  needs to be modified so that it can tackle bee 
mortality, for example through  effective measures to control bee diseases such as 
the Varroa mite. In addition,  access to medicines in the whole of the 
European Union should be improved  through EU funding.  
Independent research to inform the public 
The  draft resolution, which still has to be approved by the full 
Parliament, urges  the Commission to support independent research on bee mortality 
and ensure that  any data on the effects of GMO crops and pesticides on 
particular species of  bees are made public. Lastly, the committee suggests 
revising the rules on  pesticides and plant protection products to allow risk 
assessments of bees’  exposure to such substances. 
8 November 2010





























Laurie Davies Adams
Executive Director
Pollinator  Partnership
P 415 362 1137
F 415 362 3070
423 Washington Street, 5th  Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
_www.pollinator.org_ (http://www.pollinator.org/) 
_www.nappc.org_ (http://www.nappc.org/) 
LDA at pollinator.org  

Take Action for Pollinators at _www.pollinator.org_ 
(http://www.pollinator.org/)  
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