European Union Export Program
Exporting Honey to the EU
In June of 2003 the European Union banned imports of honey from the United States into E.U. member countries. Although there was not a demonstrable issue with U.S. honey quality, there existed differences in the regulatory approach taken by the European Union and the United States in guaranteeing product purity.
Concerned about both the trade barrier itself and the potential “black-eye” given to the long-standing positive reputation for quality that U.S. honey enjoys worldwide, the U.S. honey industry, the National Honey Board and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration crafted a proposal to demonstrate and assure the purity of U.S. domestic honey to the European Community.
In late September 2004, the European Commission accepted the proposal and re-listed the United States as a third country eligible to export honey to the European Union (Click here to view the official GAIN Report).
Program Requirements
Under the program, companies must adhere to specific requirements for each shipment destined to a European Union member country. In general, these requirements include:
- Obtaining a binding Producer Purity Certification on a per contract or per crop year basis
- Adhering to the Batch Control and documentation procedures
- Providing testing and residue data and documentation for each shipment per the sampling and testing protocol described
- Provide Sanitary Certificate and Certificate of Origin for each shipment
GAIN Report: Ban on U.S. Honey Lifted
The European Commission passed a decision amending the approval of residue plans of third countries. This amendment effectively re-lists the United States as one of the third countries eligible to export honey to the EU.
Producer Purity Certification Form - per contract
Producer Purity Certification Form for certification per contract.
Handlers must obtain a certification of honey purity from each producer whose honey will be shipped to the European Union.
Producer Purity Certification Form - per crop year
Producer Purity Certification Form for certification per crop year.
Handlers must obtain a certification of honey purity from each producer whose honey will be shipped to the European Union.
Batch Control Form
Sample Batch Control Form. A Batch Control Form will be intitiated for each batch of honey processed for shipment to the European Union.