Earlier, EBA President Boštjan Noč met with Elisabeth Werner (THERE), an Austrian economist and senior European Commission official, who will serve as Director-General of the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development starting in June 2025.
EBA President Boštjan Noč has now sent her an important letter, which you can read in full in this news item.
LETTER:
Dear Elisabeth Werner,
Thank you for your letter and for the opportunity to provide more detailed comments on the operation and effectiveness of the EU Honey Platform.
As requested, please find attached the EBA’s written response, setting out our main concerns, providing concrete examples, and proposing practical measures to improve the Platform’s work.
Our intention is to contribute constructively to the European Commission’s efforts to address the persistent challenges facing the honey sector. We believe that the Platform has an important role to play in advancing effective solutions, particularly in the areas of honey authenticity, traceability, harmonized analytical methods, and the establishment of a European Union Reference Laboratory for Honey.
At the same time, we believe that the Platform’s effectiveness could be strengthened through a more focused and action-oriented approach, with clearer priorities, more time for substantive technical discussions, and greater flexibility to address critical issues raised by its members.
The EBA remains committed to constructive cooperation with the European Commission and all relevant stakeholders. We hope that our comments and recommendations will help support further progress and contribute to tangible improvements in the implementation and enforcement of EU honey legislation, to the benefit of beekeepers, consumers, and the integrity of the European honey market.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to the continued dialogue and to seeing the Platform’s work translate into concrete progress.
Kind regards,
Boštjan Noč, President of the European Beekeeping