It will be mandatory to indicate the origin of honey in the EU as a percentage

By: STA Date: 2023. 12. 12. 10:30

Hungary’s efforts have reached their goal, at the initiative of our country, the EU agriculture ministers agreed that in the future it will be mandatory to indicate the place of origin and the exact percentage of the honey on the honey bottles, said Minister István Nagy.

(Photo: Pixabay)

The minister drew attention to the fact that more than four years of work had come to fruition with Monday’s decision, since Hungary was the first to initiate the tightening of the rules for marking the origin of honey mixtures in November 2019. Thanks to the stricter regulations, it will be clear to customers which country honey comes from and in what proportion it is found in the given product. On the one hand, this makes it easier for consumers to find quality Hungarian honey, and by purchasing it, they support not only Hungarian beekeepers, but also the preservation of biological diversity. On the other hand, the mandatory origin marking containing an exact percentage can effectively help in the fight against honey of uncertain origin, of dubious quality, coming from outside the EU – reminded the Hungarian minister. The head of the department also indicated that the European Parliament will formulate its position on the proposal in the coming days, after which negotiations with the Council can begin, in order for the new regulations to enter into force as soon as possible.