The European Parliament adopted 603 votes to 9, with 10 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directives 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, 2001/113/EC relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption, and 2001/114/EC relating to certain partly or wholly dehydrated preserved milk for human consumption.
The position adopted by the European Parliament at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure is as follows:
Honey
Given the particular interest shown by consumers in the geographical origin of honey, the Directive requires that the country or countries of origin be indicated on the label in descending order, as well as the percentage of each origin in the case of blends, with a tolerance of 5% for each individual part within the blend, calculated on the basis of the operator's traceability documentation.
In order to guarantee a certain degree of flexibility, Member States may provide that, in the case of blends of honeys with more than four different countries of origin, it is permissible to indicate in percentage terms only the four largest parts, provided that together they represent more than 50% of the total. The other countries of origin must be indicated in descending order.
In the case of packages containing net quantities of honey of less than 30 grammes, the names of the countries of origin may be replaced by a two-letter code, in accordance with the latest version of the international standard ISO 3166-1 two-letter code (alfa-2) in force.
In the case of baker’s honey, bulk containers, packaging and sales documentation should be clearly indicate the full product name.
The Commission may, taking into account international standards and technical progress, adopt implementing acts laying down the methods of analysis to verify whether honey is compliant with this Directive. It should, by four years from the date of entry into force of this amending Directive, taking into account international standards and technical progress, adopt implementing acts laying down the methods of analysis to detect adulterated honey.
For the purpose of ensuring fair commercial practices and protecting consumer interests, the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts by laying down the following:
- the criterion of ‘mainly’ as regards the floral or vegetable origin of honey;
- composition criteria to ensure that honey, with the exception of baker’s honey as defined in point 3 of Annex I, which is placed on the market as honey or used in a product intended for human consumption has not been heated or treated in such a way that the natural enzymes have been either destroyed or significantly deactivated, taking into account the invertase index;
- the criteria to ensure and verify that pollen is not removed from honey and that the absolute pollen content and pollen spectrum are not modified in honey;
- the methods and criteria to determine the place where honey has been harvested and Union-wide traceability requirements for honey from the harvesting producer or importer to the consumer.
Before adopting those delegated acts, the Commission should carry out feasibility studies. The Commission should include an analysis of available digital solutions or methods, including, where appropriate, a unique identifier code or similar techniques.
It was also agreed that an EU platform of experts should be set up to gather data to improve controls, detect adulteration in honey and to provide recommendations for an EU traceability system that allows for the honey to be traced back to the harvesting producer or importer.
Juices, jams and marmalade
For jams and marmalades, the general rule will be that at least 450 grams of fruit must be used to produce 1 kilo of jam and marmalades (500 grams for high quality extra jam: apples, pears, clingstone plums, melons, water-melons, grapes, pumpkins, cucumbers and tomatoes).
The amended text provides that the label ‘contains only naturally occurring sugars’ should be allowed for fruit juices.
In addition, to meet the growing demand for low-sugar products, it was agreed that reformulated fruit juices may be labelled ‘reduced-sugar fruit juice’ if at least 30% of naturally occurring sugars have been removed. However, producers may then not use sweeteners to compensate for the effect of sugar reduction on the taste, texture and quality of the final product.
No later than 36 months after the entry into force of this amending Directive, the Commission should present a report to the European Parliament and to the Council providing an assessment of the feasibility of the different possibilities for labelling indicating the country or countries of origin where the fruit or fruits used to manufacture fruit jams, jellies, citrus marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée have been harvested. That report should be accompanied, where appropriate, by a legislative proposal.