Honey

European Union Export Program Instructions

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

In June of 2003 the European Union banned imports of honey from the United States into E.U. member countries. Although there is not a demonstrable issue with U.S. honey quality, there exist 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

• Instructions
• Certification form - per contract (PDF file)
• Certification form - per crop year (PDF file)

 

Adhering to the Batch Control and documentation procedures

• Instructions
• Batch Control form

 

Providing testing and residue data and documentation for each shipment per the sampling and testing protocol described

• Instructions

 

Use one of two testing laboratories authorized

• Testing lab contact information - Applica GmbH
• Testing lab contact information - Quality Services International GmbH

Provide Sanitary Certificate and Certificate of Origin for each shipment