Athens, Greece — Ten days after the conclusion of the public consultation on the proposed e-honey digital platform for the production, distribution and marketing of honey and other hive products, the Standing Committee on Production and Trade of the Hellenic Parliament invited the Hellenic Scientific Society of Apiculture and Sericulture (EEEM) to present the scientific community’s views at an open parliamentary hearing and answer questions from Members of Parliament.
The EEEM was represented by Prof. Andreas Thrasyvoulou, Vice-President of the EEEM and representative of the European Beekeeping Association (EBA).
Professor Thrasyvoulou stressed that effective honey traceability is essential to combating fraud and the misrepresentation of imported honey as Greek honey. He highlighted a number of weaknesses in the current legislative framework that allow imported honey to be marketed as Greek, as well as the particularly severe penalties imposed on beekeepers.
At the same time, he pointed to what he described as a lack of effective measures against traders involved in the import and marketing of adulterated honey syrups, noting that these operators appear to remain largely beyond the reach of effective enforcement. He also highlighted the limitations of the Greek control system and its inability to respond adequately to the scale and complexity of the problem.
Professor further expressed concern about the generalisations and ambiguities contained in the draft legislation, as well as the fact that a number of important issues are being left to future Ministerial Decisions. In his view, this approach risks giving the impression that the legislation is intended primarily to address or appease the sector’s longstanding demands, rather than provide a comprehensive and effective solution to the problem.
Members of Parliament from several political parties showed considerable interest in the concerns raised by the beekeeping sector, as reflected in the number of questions addressed to Prof. Thrasyvoulou following his presentation.
Several questions focused on the severity of the proposed penalties and the extent to which the draft legislation places the burden of enforcement on beekeepers, while others addressed the legislative framework and the effectiveness of laboratory controls.
The hearing also highlighted concerns over what was described as the lack of response by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food to requests, proposals and scientific reports submitted by researchers and beekeeping organisations.
The discussion in Parliament underlined the importance of establishing a transparent, reliable and effective traceability system capable of protecting consumers, safeguarding the reputation of genuine Greek honey and ensuring fair conditions for beekeepers.
Hellenic Scientific Society of Apiculture and Sericulture