Cancellation of Participation and Strong Protest Against the Censorship of a Key Topic at the 3rd International Forum in Maribor
To whom it may concern:
On behalf of the European Beekeeping Association (EBA), we express our strongest protest against the decision made by the organizers, led by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), to remove the scheduled case study “EU Honey Platform (Honey Adulteration)” from the agenda just one week before the forum in Maribor, held on the occasion of World Bee Day. This presentation was to be delivered on May 21st by the Head of the EBA Scientific Committees. As a sign of protest, the President of the SBA (Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association) and EBA, Boštjan Noč, will not attend the forum.
The excuse that this is due to “time constraints” is an insult to the entire beekeeping sector. We are facing the greatest existential crisis in history, driven by systemic crime involving the mass adulteration of honey. The work of the Honey Platform to date has been completely ineffective. Due to the stagnation of the action plan and a blatant lack of political will, European beekeeping is collapsing, agriculture is losing its pollination services, and consumers are knowingly left exposed to health-threatening counterfeits.
As stated in our attached press release, issued immediately following the last meeting of the Honey Platform, and also addressed in much detail during the address to the EU Parliament on April 22, 2026, at the conference on honey market integrity, all mechanisms have failed.
Press release relating to Honey platform:
Press release relating to the EU Parliament conference on the integrity of the market:
Denying a dedicated, standalone slot to this critical issue and replacing it with a mere moderated panel discussion among multiple speakers sends a devastating signal to the public. Without a direct and sharp analysis of this systemic threat, the forum on World Bee Day loses its credibility and becomes just another event that “must” be carried out purely on paper.
Regardless of these decisions, the European Beekeeping Association, together with its scientific committees, will relentlessly continue its fight against counterfeits. We will continue to intensively and directly inform beekeepers, consumers, and the wider public about the inefficiency of official bodies and the threat facing our industry.
Sincerely,
Boštjan Noč, President of the European Beekeeping Association (EBA)
Dr. Nik Lupše, Head of the EBA Scientific Committees