17 Amendments of Ivo HRISTOV related to 2023/0105(COD)
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Council Directive 2001/110/EC20 lays down definitions, names, common rules on composition, quality and labelling requirements for honey. _________________ 20 Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey (OJ L 10, 12.1.2002, p. 47).
Amendment 19 #
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 Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy’s objective of strengthening consumers in making informed choices, including on the geographical origin of their food, and the details of this origin in case of blending, and 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 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 packs from the obligation of listing all individual countries of origin, where the honey originates in more than one countryin descending order and with their respective percentages on the packaging.
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 a (new)
Recital 3 a (new)
(3a) Given the particular interest shown by consumers in the geographical origin of honey in relation to its characteristics and quality, and the need for full transparency in this area, the country or countries of origin in which the honey was harvested must appear on the label in the same visual field as the indication of the product. 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 packs from the obligation of listing all individual countries of origin, where the honey originates in more than one country.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 b (new)
Recital 3 b (new)
(3b) Recalling that the 2023 DG Health - JRC - and OLAF reports on honey adulteration "EU Coordinate action "From the hives"" and "EU Coordinate action to deter certain fraudulent practices in the honey sector - Analytical testing results of imported honeys" highlight a very high percentage of imported honeys suspected of adulteration and confirm a range of frauds that exist in the honey sector. Aware of the fact that some operators use "customised" sugar syrups that are very difficult to detect even when the most sophisticated analytical techniques. Noting with regret the lack of official, validated analytical methods for detecting new types of adulteration with sugar syrups means that national authorities are unable to identify as fraudulent honeys. Pointing out that the honey market is faced with a significant supply of honeys that have been adulterated by the addition of sugar syrups, either during the honeyflow or at some stage in the packaging process. Convinced that several elements need to be clarified or improved in the honey directive to limit the possibilities of fraud and facilitate controls: complementing mandatory traceability measures with a block-chain system, rejecting filtered honey and honeys whose excessive water content has been reduced by vacuum evaporation.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 d (new)
Recital 3 d (new)
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 e (new)
Recital 3 e (new)
(3e) Acknowledging that the term filtered honey used in Directive 2001/110 is misinterpreted by consumers, who confuse this industrial filtration with the filtration carried out by beekeepers after extracting their honey to remove particles of wax and other foreign elements from the honey. Consequently, filtered honeys as defined in Directive 2001/110/EC should no longer be allowed to be marketed under the name "honey" and the definition of "filtered honey" should be deleted from the text of the Directive. Noticing that the removal by filtration of some or all of the pollen and figurative elements present in a honey and a filter mesh size of less than 100 µm no longer allows the correct identification of the geographical and/or botanical origin of a honey. This makes it much more difficult to differentiate between sugar syrup or a mixture of honey and syrup and honey. Industrial filtration makes it impossible to trace honey using an analytical approach such as melissopalynology. Underlining that Annex II of Directive 2001/110 should be amended to specify the level of filtration permitted, which does not significantly alter the density and pollen spectrum of the honey, but which does remove most of the foreign matter in the honey.
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 f (new)
Recital 3 f (new)
(3f) Recalling that both the definition of honey in Directive 2001/110 EC and that of the Codex Alimentarius clearly specify the work carried out by bees in the hive after they have harvested their crop, which they transform by combining it with specific materials of their own, deposit, dehydrate, store, and leave to ripen in the combs of the hive. Dehydration followed by ripening are operations carried out by the bees. Outside the European Union, some countries accept that the work of bees is limited to harvesting nectar secretions from plants or honeydew in the production of honey. Unripe honeys produced in this way have a moisture content well in excess of the 20% threshold laid down in Directive 2001/110/EC. Operators work with heated vats under a vacuum to limit the boiling temperature of the water in the honey. However, this process degrades the final product, depleting its aromas and enzymes. Insists that the Honey Directive should prohibit this vacuum evaporation process for honeys.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 f (new)
Recital 3 f (new)
(3f) Given the particular interest shown by consumers in the geographical origin of honey in relation to its characteristics and quality, and the need for total transparency in this area, the country or countries of origin in which the honey was harvested must appear on the label in the same visual field as the indication of the product.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3 g (new)
Recital 3 g (new)
(3g) Noticing with concern Heat treatment above 40°C (± 5°C) causes degradation of certain constituents of the honey. The indicators currently used, namely HMF and the diastase index, make it possible to evaluate the significant degradation of honeys but do not make it possible to highlight the degradation of more sensitive honey constituents such as invertase. Consumer must be able to differentiate between honeys not exposed to treatments involving heating above 40°C (± 5°C) and other honeys. The words "virgin honey or unheated honey" must thus appear on the label. In order to control the absence of thermal degradation of a honey, a minimum threshold must be set for the presence of invertase in honey, an enzyme that is much more sensitive and degrades very rapidly once high temperatures are reached.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1 a (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 2
Article 2 – paragraph 2
(1a) paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: 2. the product names referred to in Annex I, points 2 and 3, shall apply only to the products defined therein and shall be used in trade to designate them. These names may be replaced by the simple product name ‘honey’, except in the case of "comb honey", "honey with pieces of comb" and "industrial honey".
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – introductory part
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – introductory part
Directive 2001/110/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – points a, b, c (new), d (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 4 – points a, b, c (new), d (new)
(2) in paragraph 4, points (a) and (b) are replaced by the following and points (c) and (d) are added:
Amendment 81 #
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
(а) The country of origin where the honey has been harvested shall be indicated on the label. If the honey originates in more than one country, the countries of origin where the honey has been harvested shall be indicated on the label of packs containby means of a two-letter code in accordance with ISO Code 3166, indicating, in descending more than 25 gder, the percentage of honey from each of the countries of origin;
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2
(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, physico-chemical and microscopic characteristics thereof, - regional, territorial or topographical origin, if the product comes entirely from the origin indicated, - specific quality criteria.
Amendment 111 #
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 b (new)
Article 2– paragraph 4– point b b (new)
(bb) except for honeys intended for industrial use, these names may be supplemented by indications referring to the absence of significant heat treatment. The term referring to the absence of significant heat treatment such as "raw honey" or "unheated 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 159 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – paragraph 1 a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 1 a (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Annex 1 – paragraph 2 – point b – point viii
Annex 1 – paragraph 2 – point b – point viii
Annex I to Directive 2001/110/EC is amended as follows: In paragraph 2, point (b)(viii) is deleted and replaced by the following: (viii) raw or unheated 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 168 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point а
Annex I – paragraph 1 – point 1 – point а
Directive 2001/112/EC
Annex 1 – part 1 – point 6
Annex 1 – part 1 – point 6
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex I a (new)
Annex I a (new)
Directive 2001/110/EC
Annex 2 a (new)
Annex 2 a (new)
Annex IIa MEASURES RELATING TO HONEY TRACABILITY Guidelines The identification data that must accompany honey throughout the food chain, from producer to consumer, and which must be entered into the blockchain system are as follows: 1. Harvesting beekeeper references 2. Lot defined by the harvesting beekeeper 3. The specific identifier assigned by the non-European operator ensuring the sale to the EU market of batches of honey harvested in a non-EU country. 4. The unique identifier (code) of each operator in the food chain who purchases and processes honey from the beekeeper- harvester. Importers of honey into the EU are treated in the same way as operators and the traceability of honeys applies to them too. 5. Year the honey was harvested if sold in bulk from the beekeeper down the chain. 6. The year of blending if honeys from different geographical origins (country of origin) are blended. 7. In the case of a blend of honeys, indication of the percentages of the different batches of honeys identified by their identifier and creation of a new identifier linked to the initial information. 8. Specific floral or plant origin if mentioned on the packaging of the honey marketed. 9. Geographical origin corresponding to the origin indicated on the marketed honey. The indication of origin must meet at least the requirements of Article 2(4)(a), i.e. the country of harvest. The information on origin may not be modified under any circumstances and must always appear when the honey is mixed or in transit. All packaging of blended honey, from the barrel to the jar, must be labelled with the last identifier assigned to the honey, so that it can be linked to all the honeys of origin and to the various blends made by the intermediary operator(s).