BeeLife, Copa-Cogeca, Apimondia and EPBA are sounding the alarm: invasive hornets (Vespa velutina and Vespa orientalis) prey on over 1,400 species, with pollinators among their most frequent targets. The consequences for beekeeping are already severe: in France, 22% of beekeepers identified V. velutina as a leading cause of winter colony losses in 2023–2024, with losses rising by up to 30% in the most heavily affected areas.

On 17 June, the European Parliament voted in favour of the European Commission's proposed framework on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), marking a significant shift in how genetically modified crops will be regulated across the European Union. For BeeLife and its member organisations, the outcome represents a deeply concerning step backwards for transparency, environmental protection, and the integrity of Europe's food systems.

On 8th July a webinar for beekeepers, farmers and everyone committed to the future of pollinators and European honey.

On 17 June, the European Parliament will vote on a proposal concerning the future regulation of plants developed through New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). Ahead of the vote, on 16 June, farmers, beekeepers, environmental organisations and citizens from across Europe will gather in Strasbourg to call for the preservation of key safeguards, including traceability, risk assessment and consumer labelling.

On 27 May 2026, BeeLife officially launched the EU BeeLovers Campaign at the Natural History Museum in Brussels, bringing together stakeholders from across the beekeeping, agriculture, food, environmental and policy sectors for a day of discussion, exchange and collaboration.

On World Bee Day, BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination and PAN Europe sent a joint letter to the European Commission calling for stronger implementation of science-based pesticide regulation and better protection for pollinators.

Ahead of the official EU BeeLovers launch event on 27 May in Brussels, BeeLife has published a new press release exploring the current challenges facing European honey, beekeeping and pollinators: from market pressures and traceability to biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.

European honey is more than a product: it reflects the health of our ecosystems, biodiversity and agricultural systems. BeeLife invites stakeholders, journalists, beekeepers, farmers and organisations active in food and sustainability to the official launch of the EU BeeLovers Campaign, co-funded by the European Union.

The publication, Roadmap to Control the “Invasive Hornets”, produced by BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination and co-signed by Copa-Cogeca, Apimondia and the European Professional Beekeepers Association (EPBA), analyses the spread and impacts of Vespa velutina and the neo-invasive Vespa orientalis across Europe. If your organisation shares this commitment to environmental, agricultural or social safety, we'd love to have you co-sign the roadmap.

Behind the scenes, teams and partners are working intensively to shape a bold, multidisciplinary initiative connecting bees, beekeepers, farmers and consumers in Belgium. With its official launch set for 27 May in Brussels, the project aims to build a vibrant community and raise awareness of the true value of European honey and sustainable beekeeping.

The EU is approaching a final vote on new rules that would deregulate most genetically modified crops developed through New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). Critics warn the proposal would remove labelling, traceability and risk assessment for the majority of these products - raising concerns for transparency, pollinators and farmers. Civil society is mobilising through the campaign “Blacked-Out Ingredients - Label gene-edited food!”, while BeeLife highlights concrete risks for bee

Tropilaelaps mites: in a letter addressed to the European Commission, Member States, and National Reference Laboratories for bee health, BeeLife calls for immediate preparedness and reinforced vigilance, urging authorities to prevent the introduction of the mite and to effectively manage its potential spread.