BeeLife strengthens dialogue with the European Commission on agriculture, pollinators, and honey integrity

Brussels, 22 October 2025 – BeeLife met with Alisa Tiganj, Cabinet Expert for Agriculture and Food in the team of Commissioner Hansen, to address key priorities for the beekeeping sector and for a sustainable European agriculture. During the exchange, BeeLife presented a series of technical and policy concerns, ranging from invasive species threatening pollinators, to honey fraud and traceability, and the need for a resilient and climate-aware Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that genuinely rewards farmers and beekeepers who care for ecosystems.

On behalf of the Commission, Ms. Tiganj reaffirmed the Cabinet’s attention to these issues. She emphasised the importance of a climate-resilient and innovative agricultural model, expressed interest in biocontrol discussions, and acknowledged the beekeeping sector as a true service to society. She also recognised the urgency of addressing invasive species and their impact on pollinators, public health, and food productivity. She underlined that beekeepers are already providing a public service by fighting invasive vespids, helping reduce damage to agriculture, tourism, and the environment - a fact that could justify an increased budget for the sector unless authorities take stronger action themselves.

Regarding the challenges linked to honey fraud, the question of establishing a European Reference Laboratory for Honey and a transparent EU database for honey was put on the table, confirming that these remain essential priorities for ensuring quality, transparency, and fairness in the market.

In general, the discussion helped to identify clear common ground and shared priorities between BeeLife’s actions and the Commission’s concerns regarding the link between pollinator health, fair food systems, and agricultural resilience. BeeLife would like to invite Commissioner Hansen and his team to help advance efforts in the right direction on topics that bridge the Directories' responsibilities, such as agricultural pollutant management and surveillance, synthetic organisms management, or restoration.

The dialogue will continue, and the path ahead is neither linear nor simple, as shown by the risks that excessive simplification of procedures and controls could lead to a dangerous deregulatory drift - the meeting allowed both sides to engage in a meaningful exchange and reach a shared understanding of the issues at stake. For years, BeeLife has been working to ensure that policymakers have the tools and understanding necessary to navigate the complex yet vital topics of pollination and agricultural resilience. This meeting was an important step in that direction, helping to consolidate a shared recognition of the deep interconnection between pollinators and food security.

Through information sharing, BeeLife trusts science and bottom-up initiatives to deliver the tools needed to analyse facts and identify solutions in a collective, multidisciplinary effort.

This is our mission statement, and we will continue to use it to engage with institutions to foster an objective, well-reasoned understanding of the environmental and productive landscape in which we operate.