EU BeeLovers Event: Key Takeaways from Brussels
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
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.
The event marked the public starting point of a three-year campaign dedicated to promoting European honey, supporting beekeeping and strengthening awareness of the essential role of pollinators in our food systems and ecosystems.
BeeLife Team at the Event
The campaign launch was led by several members of the BeeLife team:
Anna Ganapini, President of BeeLife
Noa Simón Delso, Scientific Director
Étienne Bruneau, Vice-Président
Roderick Wheatley, Treasurer
Andrés Salazar, EU BeeLovers Project Leader
Santiago Otálora, Video & Graphic Designer
Together, they presented BeeLife's vision for the campaign and engaged with participants throughout the day. See the event programme
Participation and Engagement
The event welcomed around 70 registered participants, including beekeepers, farmers, researchers, journalists, policymakers, retailers, representatives of agricultural organisations and BeeLife members.
The strong diversity of participants reflected one of the core ambitions of the campaign: creating meaningful dialogue across sectors that all have a role to play in the future of pollinators, honey and sustainable food systems.
Main Messages Emerging from the Discussions
European Honey Deserves Greater Recognition
A recurring theme throughout the day was the need to better recognise the value of European honey, not only as a food product, but as the result of biodiversity, local ecosystems, beekeeping expertise and sustainable production practices.
Speakers highlighted that honey carries the aromas, landscapes and traditions of the territories where it is produced, making it one of Europe's most distinctive agricultural products.
Transparency Builds Trust
The discussions also addressed the upcoming changes to European honey labelling rules and the importance of providing consumers with clearer information about origin, traceability and quality.
Participants agreed that better information is essential to help consumers make informed choices and to ensure that European honey can be recognised and valued appropriately.
Supporting Beekeepers Means Supporting Agriculture
Several interventions underlined the close relationship between beekeeping and agriculture.
Healthy pollinator populations contribute to crop production, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. Supporting beekeepers therefore means supporting broader environmental and agricultural objectives.
From Hive to Shelf: Strengthening the Value Chain
The afternoon seminar explored opportunities to improve cooperation between beekeepers, farmers, retailers and consumers.
The discussions highlighted the importance of creating fair market conditions for high-quality European honey while increasing public awareness of the challenges faced by the sector.
The Most Vibrant Networking Moment
While the entire event generated valuable exchanges, the networking lunch and afternoon reception proved to be particularly dynamic moments for participants.
These informal sessions encouraged conversations between stakeholders who rarely have the opportunity to meet in the same room, including policymakers, researchers, beekeepers, retailers, communication professionals and representatives of civil society organisations.
A Shared Journey
One of the strongest messages emerging from the launch event was that protecting bees is not only about pollinators. It is about preserving biodiversity, supporting resilient food systems, valuing the work of beekeepers and helping consumers better understand the products they choose every day.
Through EU BeeLovers, BeeLife and its partners aim to build a growing community of farmers, beekeepers, consumers, researchers, businesses and institutions who share a common ambition: ensuring that European honey and the people behind it receive the recognition they deserve.
Bee or not to be. Together, we choose to bee.
Looking Ahead: The Next Steps for EU BeeLovers
The Brussels launch was only the beginning. Over the next three years, the EU BeeLovers Campaign will continue to develop activities aimed at increasing awareness of European honey, strengthening understanding of beekeeping and promoting informed and sustainable consumption choices.
Upcoming actions include:
implementation of the dedicated EU BeeLovers website.
Publication of video interviews and campaign stories.
Media and public awareness activities.
Educational and communication materials.
Development of the European Bee Lovers Network.
Stakeholder engagement initiatives across Belgium.
Annual events and campaign monitoring activities.
Over the coming months, we will be sharing interviews, videos, campaign updates, expert insights and opportunities to engage with the growing European BeeLovers community.
Follow the project on our website and social media channels to stay informed about upcoming activities, events and stories from across the beekeeping, farming and biodiversity sectors. https://eubeelovers.eu/
