The European Beekeeping Association (EBA, headquartered in Slovenia) is protesting against the European Commission’s preliminary decision to increase the quota for duty-free honey imports from Ukraine from 6,000 tons to 35,000 tons per year. According to Interfax-Ukraine, the EBA has sent a corresponding letter to the European Commission.

According to the association, the European honey market is currently facing increasing competition from cheap imported honey, often of questionable quality and unclear origin due to the lack of effective control mechanisms.

In the letter, the EBA pointed out a number of legislative gaps that allow for honey falsification. European beekeepers are particularly concerned about insufficient border control, weak traceability, and the lack of unified methods for verifying the authenticity of honey at the EU level.

“The Association supports assistance to Ukraine, but warns that any new trade agreement must also take into account the interests of European farmers, especially in the sensitive beekeeping sector,” the letter to the European Commission said.

The EBA was founded in February 2024. According to its website, it currently unites 55 organizations from 30 countries, representing over 414,000 beekeepers. The Union of Beekeepers of Ukraine is also listed as a member of the association.