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REPORT (COM(2023)0201 – C9140/2023 – 2023/0105(COD))

On the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, 2001/113/EC relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption, and 2001/114/EC relating to certain partly or wholly dehydrated preserved milk for human consumption

A-9-2023-0385

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety · Rapporteur: Alexander Bernhuber

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's amended version of the Commission proposal to revise the 'breakfast directives' on honey, fruit juices, jams and preserved milk. It requires honey origin labelling with percentages in descending order, a honey traceability system, and a ban on ultrafiltered honey and vacuum evaporation. It creates a 'reduced-sugar fruit juice' category with at least 30% less sugar and bans added sugar or sweeteners in it. It requires origin labelling for fruit juices and for jams, jellies and marmalades. It shortens the transposition period to 12 months and application to 18 months, requires Member States to set penalties, and asks the Commission to propose a definition of the essential characteristics of an average juice by 31 December 2024.

Committee position. The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety adopts Parliament's first-reading position amending the Commission proposal. It proposes stricter honey labelling and traceability, a ban on ultrafiltered honey and vacuum evaporation, a reduced-sugar fruit juice category, origin labelling for juices and jams, and a faster transposition timeline.

Key points

  1. Honey labels must state the country or countries of origin in descending order by weight share, with the exact percentage or a percentage range.
  2. For packs over 30 g, percentage ranges are >90%, 70%-90%, 50%-70%, 30%-50%, 10%-30% and <10%; for packs of 30 g or less, >75%, 50%-75%, 25%-50% and <25%.
  3. For packs under 30 g of blended honey, ISO 3166 alpha-2 country codes may be used; countries covering at least 98% of the weight need not list residual quantities.
  4. If honey is harvested only in third countries, or third countries account for at least 75% of a blend, the front label must state 'contains 75% or more of non-EU honey' or 'non-EU honey'.
  5. Honey marketed under a different identification than the beekeeper's must carry an identifier code linked to a traceability system; this does not apply to beekeepers with fewer than 150 hives.
  6. The Commission must adopt delegated acts within 12 months of entry into force establishing a harmonised methodology to determine honey origins; from 18 months, placing honey on the market depends on traceability compliance.
  7. Ultrafiltered honey, called 'filtered honey', may no longer be marketed as honey; no pollen count or spectrum change smaller than 100 µm is permitted, and products with little or no pollen are banned.
  8. Honey treated above 40°C (± 5°C) must be labelled 'heated honey'; 'unheated honey' must meet an invertase index of generally not less than 50 U/kg, or 25 U/kg for low-enzyme honeys.
  9. Honey must not be exposed to vacuum evaporation, and baker's honey for industrial use must be labelled with its full product name on bulk containers, packaging and sales documentation.
  10. A new 'reduced-sugar fruit juice' and 'reduced-sugar fruit juice from concentrate' category is created with at least 30% less sugar; added sugar or sweeteners are strictly prohibited.
  11. The country of origin of fruit used for juice must be on the front label in descending order; for jams, jellies and marmalades, the origin of fruits and sugar must be labelled with percentages or ranges.
  12. Member States must transpose the directive within 12 months and apply it from 18 months after entry into force, and must set effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties for infringements.

Who is affected

  • Honey producers, packers and importers: must label origin percentages, use traceability codes and avoid ultrafiltration or vacuum evaporation.
  • Beekeepers with fewer than 150 hives: exempt from the honey traceability identifier requirement.
  • Fruit juice and jam manufacturers: must label fruit origin and follow new rules on reduced-sugar juices and minimum fruit content.
  • Member States: must transpose the rules, carry out risk-based checks and set penalties.
  • Consumers: gain origin and composition information on honey, juices and jams.

Figures and deadlines

  • 40°C (± 5°C): heat treatment above which honey must be labelled 'heated honey'.
  • 100 µm: filter mesh size below which filtration is not permitted; no pollen count or spectrum change smaller than 100 µm is allowed.
  • 30%: minimum sugar reduction for reduced-sugar fruit juice compared to fruit juice.
  • 150 hives: threshold below which beekeepers are exempt from the traceability requirement.
  • 75%: share of non-EU honey in a blend triggering the front-label statement.
  • 98%: share of weight above which residual countries of origin need not be indicated.
  • 12 months: deadline for the Commission to adopt delegated acts on honey origin methodology, and transposition period for Member States.
  • 18 months: date from which traceability compliance is required and from which national provisions apply.

Legal basis: Article 294(2) and Article 43(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.