16 Amendments of Martin HLAVÁČEK related to 2023/0105(COD)
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) In light of the close link between the quality of honey and its origin and the need for the consumer not to be misled regarding the quality of the product, Directive 2001/110/EC lays down rules on the labelling of the origin where the honey has been harvested. In particular, Article 2(4) of that Directive requires the country or countries of origin where the honey has been harvested to be indicated on the label and provides that, if honey originates in more than one Member State or third country, the mandatory indication of the countries of origin may be replaced by one of the following, as appropriate: ‘blend of EU honeys’, ‘blend of non-EU honeys’, ‘blend of EU and non-EU honeys’. The different rules adopted on this basis by Member States may have misled consumers and may have hindered the functioning of the internal market. In the light of the Farm to Fork Strategy’s objective of strengthening consumers in making informed choices, including on the origin of their food, andlso in the interest to preserve the efficient functioning of the internal market throughout the Union through a harmonisation of the labelling rules, it is appropriate to revise the rules for honey origin labelling and provide that the country or countries of origin should be mentioned on the packaging in descending order of their share in weight. In light of the reduced size of the packs containing only a single portion of honey (breakfast packs) and the resulting technical difficulties, it is therefore appropriate to exempt those packspacks the largest surface of which have an area of less than 10 cm from the obligation of listing all individual countries of origin, where the honey originates in more than one country.
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) Following the "From the Hive" action carried out by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), together with the national authorities of 18 countries belonging to the European Food Fraud Network, the European Anti- Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), a very high percentage of imported honeys were found to be adulterated with cheap ingredients, such as sugar syrups and water, to artificially increase the product's volume. Directive 2001/110, amended by Directive 2014/63, empowers the European Commission to establish the most appropriate methods of analysis to ensure that honey marketed in the European Union complies with the requirements of the legislation. These methods are now obsolete, and there is an urgent need to update them regularly in the light of the latest scientific developments, in collaboration with the Commission's Joint Research Centre, in order to prevent fraudulent practices.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 b (new)
Recital 3 b (new)
(3b) It is also essential to improve traceability from the beekeeper to the consumer, with a minimum of compulsory, harmonized rules. At present, traceability rules do not make it possible to link the various operators in contact with the product, which encourages fraud. Given the difficulties involved in tracing the origin of honey, a specific traceability system needs to be set up for this sector.
Amendment 42 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 c (new)
Recital 3 c (new)
(3c) In order to avoid any ambiguity for the consumer and guarantee the traceability of honey, ultrafiltered honey, referred to in the Directive 2001/110 as "filtered honey", should no longer be allowed to be marketed under the name of honey. While beekeepers commonly use wide-mesh honey sieves to remove any plant debris or pieces of wax, ultrafiltration removes much, if not almost all, of the pollen from honey. Pollen is the most important element present in honey on which analyses are based to verify its floral and geographical origin. The absence of pollen in honey by ultrafiltration therefore removes one of the essential components and prevents verification of the country or countries of origin.
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 d (new)
Recital 3 d (new)
(3d) Heat treatment above 40-50°C degrades the sensitive components of honey. However, HMF (Hydroxymethylfurfural) content and the diastase index can only be used to assess the gross degradation of honeys. A minimum threshold should be defined for the presence of invertase, a much more sensitive enzyme, which degrades rapidly once high temperatures are reached. To ensure that consumers are properly informed, the term "virgin honey" referring to the absence of significant heat treatment may be included on the label on the front of the commercial packaging of the honey if no heat treatment has degraded highly sensitive enzymes such as invertase, from harvesting to potting.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 e (new)
Recital 3 e (new)
(3e) The commercialisation of honeys that are not naturally matured by bees, most of which are imported from third countries, distorts competition in the EU market. In most cases, this involves vacuum evaporation of the water contained in the honey, which results in a depletion of the aromas naturally present. The rapid and artificial evaporation of water from honey competes with the slow dehumidification process carried out naturally by bees in the hive. Artificial evaporation must therefore be prohibited.
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) The country of origin where the honey hwas been harvested ishall be indicated on the label. If the honey originates infrom more than one country, the countries of origin where the honey hwas been harvested shallmust be indicated on the label of packsages whose largest surface area is greater than 10 cm2. The countaining more than 25 g;ries of origin must be indicated in descending order, with their respective percentages in the blend and on the front of the pack, close to the product's trade name. Countries of origin should indicated in full on the label.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a a (new)
(aa) A traceability system for honey should be set up, complementing the horizontal rules already applicable to the agri-food sector in Article 18 of Regulation No. (EC) 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The European commission is empowered to elaborate no later than 12 months after the entry into force of this Directive, a delegated act introducing a harmonised traceability system enabling competent authorities to trace the entire history of the honey produced and imported into the EU back to the harvesting beekeepers or operators in the case of imported honeys.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point a b (new)
(ab) Except for honeys intended for industrial use, the term "virgin honey" may be included on the label on the front of the commercial packaging of the honey if no heat treatment has degraded highly sensitive enzymes such as invertase, from harvesting to potting, while complying with the conditions referred to in Annex II, points 6 (diastase index and hydroxymethylfurfural content) and 7 (invertase index).
Amendment 104 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – point b
(b) For the purpoexcept in the cases of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and in particular Articles 12 to 15 thereof, the particulars to be indicated according to point (a) of this paragraph shall be considered as mandatory particulars in accordance with Article 9 of that Regulation.honey intended for industry, these names may be supplemented by indications relating to: floral or vegetable origin, if the product comes entirely or essentially from the origin indicated and has the organoleptic, physicochemical and microscopic characteristics thereof, regional, territorial or topographical origin, if the product comes entirely from the origin indicated, specific quality criteria.
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Annex I – paragraph 2 – point b – point viii
Annex I – paragraph 2 – point b – point viii
(ba) Annex I is amended as follows: Paragraph 2, point (b)(viii) is replaced by the following: (viii) virgin honey: the honey obtained which has been extracted from the combs, decanted and then, if necessary, sieved. Honey so designated has not been heated to the extent that its enzymes and other thermally sensitive elements are degraded to such an extent that they no longer comply with the criteria laid down in points 6 and 7 of Annex II.
Amendment 110 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110 /EC
Annex II – paragraph 2
Annex II – paragraph 2
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Annex II – paragraph 3
Annex II – paragraph 3
(bc) Annex II, third sentence is replaced by the following: No significant change in the pollen count or pollen spectrum of pollen smaller than 100 µm is permitted. No constituents of honey smaller than 100 µm may be removed.
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Directive 2001/110/EC
Annex II – paragraph 4 – point 6 a (new)
Annex II – paragraph 4 – point 6 a (new)
(bd) A paragraph 7 is added in Annex II as follows: 7 (new). invertase index (Gontarski unit) for "virgin honeys". Determined after processing and blending. - generally, not less than 50 U/kg - honeys with a low natural enzyme content, not less than 25 U/kg
Amendment 130 #
(b) As an alternative to the product names referred to in subparagraph (a), Annex III provides a list of particular designations. The designations listed in Annex III, Part I, may be used in the language and unAnnex I, points 2 and 3, shall apply only to the products defined therein and shall be used in trader the conditions laid down therein. The designations listed in Annex III, Part II,o designate them. These names may be usreplaced inby the official language of the Union of the Member State where simple product name ‘honey’, except in the case of "comb honey", "honey withe product is plaieceds on the market.;f comb" and "industrial honey".
Amendment 149 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Directive 2001/113/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 6 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 6 a (new)
In the case of honey intended for industry, bulk containers, packaging and sales documentation shall clearly indicate the full product name as set out in point 3 of Annex I.