Threats to bee health and market competition make the economic viability of apiculture a critical matter.

Profitability is crucial for the sustainability of the apiculture sector. Like other agricultural producers, beekeepers must cope with production and market challenges. When it comes to production, various factors can affect productivity in a eekeeping enterprise. Outbreaks of animal diseases, exposure to chemicals, losses in plant diversity, adverse climatic conditions or the deterioration of bees' natural habitats owing to natural or human factors can all threaten the productive capacity of beehives. These factors can also be among the causes of the bee health problems and high bee mortality rates registered in recent decades.

EU apiculture sector

As co-legislator, Parliament has long been supportive of EU biodiversity protection and climate change policies.

The EU has played an important international role in seeking solutions to biodiversity loss, deforestation and climate change. The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change notes the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems and the protection of biodiversity. As part of the European Green Deal, the Commission has proposed a new biodiversity strategy that aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030, for the benefit of people, the climate and the planet.

Biodiversity Strategy 2030

Every year, the EU's 600 000 beekeepers and their 16 million beehives produce 200 000 tonnes of honey. 

This is not however sufficient to cover demand on the EU market, and the shortfall is made up by imports, above all from China. Threats to bee health and market competition make the economic viability of apiculture a critical matter. EU policies aim therefore to address these issues and promote beekeeping, an activity that is of vital importance to the environment.

EU apiculture sector - 8th parliamentary term

Launched in 1992, the LIFE programme is the only EU fund entirely dedicated to environmental and climate objectives. It supports the implementation of relevant EU legislation and the development of key policy priorities, by co-financing projects with European added value.

LIFE programme for 2021-2027 will become the EU's most ambitious climate and environmental programme. It would support projects in the areas of nature and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life, clean energy transition, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The total budget allocated for LIFE is EUR 5.4 billion, of which EUR 3.5 billion will go to environmental activities and EUR 1.9 billion to climate action. The programme is part of the Green deal package proposed by the European Commission.

LIFE

EP Plenary session - Protecting bees: advancing the EU's New Deal for Pollinators

Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems and ultimately, of our planet. Nearly 90 % of the world's wild flowering plant species depend on pollination, along with more than 75 % of the world's food crops and 35 % of global agricultural land. Without pollination, many interconnected species and processes functioning within the ecosystem would collapse.

Bees and pollinators

EP Plenary session - European Citizens’ Initiative Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment

ENVI-AGRI-PETI joint committee - Public hearing ' Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment '

French SME active in beekeeping - Honey producer

EU apiculture sector - Natural honey

EU apiculture sector - Natural bee wax pieces

MEPs debate on a European citizens’ initiative on phasing out synthetic pesticides and creating bee-friendly agriculture. Closing statement Mairead MCGUINNESS, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability, and Capital Markets Union.

European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment": closing statement by Mairead MCGUINNESS, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability, and Capital Markets Union

MEPs debate on a European citizens’ initiative on phasing out synthetic pesticides and creating bee-friendly agriculture. MEPs debate (part 2)

European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment": MEPs debate (part 2)

MEPs debate on a European citizens’ initiative on phasing out synthetic pesticides and creating bee-friendly agriculture. MEPs debate (part 1)

European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment": MEPs debate (part 1)

MEPs debate on a European citizens’ initiative on phasing out synthetic pesticides and creating bee-friendly agriculture. Opening statements by Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA,NL), ENVI; Norbert LINS (EPP,DE), AGRI; Ana MIRANDA (Greens/EFA,ES), PETI and by Mairead MCGUINNESS, European Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability, and Capital Markets Union.

European Citizens’ Initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment": opening by Bas EICKHOUT (Greens/EFA, NL), Norbert LINS (EPP, DE), Ana MIRANDA (Greens/EFA, ES), Mairead MCGUINNESS, EU Commissioner

The Committee Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), associated with the Committee on Petitions (PETI), organise a public hearing on the European Citizens' Initiative (Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment). Statement by Benoît BITEAU (Greens/EFA, FR), Vice-chair of AGRI Committee and extracts from the Public hearing.

Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment - European Citizens’ Initiative: extracts from the public hearing and statement by Benoît BITEAU (Greens/EFA, FR), Vice-chair of AGRI Committee

Europe hosts a rich diversity of wild pollinators, including over 2 000 species of bees, more than 480 species of butterflies, almost 1 000 species of hoverflies and thousands of other insect species. In the European Union (EU), 78 % of native flora and 84 % of crops are either partially or fully dependent on insects for pollination. However, significant pollinator loss has been documented over time across the EU. It entails risks for both societies and ecosystems. Pollinator protection is a key issue for the European Parliament, which made clear that the revision of the EFSA bee guidance document should ensure a level of protection at least equivalent to that laid down in 2013. Parliament also called for an urgent revision of the EU pollinators initiative, a ban on all neonicotinoid-based pesticides and the inclusion of EU-wide binding pesticide reduction targets in the upcoming revision of the directive on the sustainable use of pesticides.

EPRS - Protecting pollinator diversity in the EU

This video stockshot offers illustration footage of various types of adaptation measures. Some projects are directly EU-funded, whereas others are part of the European Climate Adaptation Platform Climate-ADAPT, promoting access and sharing of data and information on how to adapt to climate change.

Infoclip: European Green Deal - Adaptation to climate change

During the plenary session (16-19 December 2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs are expected to push for a further reduction in pesticide use, more funds for research and better monitoring in order to save pollinators such as bees, butterflies and other insects. Statements by Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, Stella KYRIAKIDES, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Mairead MCGUINNESS (EPP, IE), István UJHELYI (S&D, HU), Pietro FIOCCHI (ECR, PT) and Othmar KARAS (EPP, AT).

EU's beekeeping sector (T)

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