|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)No
1804/1999
of 19 July 1999
supplementing Regulation (EEC)No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural
products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and
foodstuffs to include livestock production
(OJ L 222,24.8.1999,p.1)
BEEKEEPING AND BEEKEEPING PRODUCTS
1. General principles
1.1.Beekeeping is an important activity that
contributes to the protection of the environament and agricultural and forestry
production through the pollination action of bees.
1.2.The qualification of beekeeping products as being from
organic production is closely bound up both with the characteristic of the hives
'treatments and the quality of the environment. This qualification also depends
on the conditions for extraction, processing and storage of beekeeping products.
1.3.When an operator runs several beekeeping units in the
same area all the units must comply with the requirements of this Regulation.By
derogation from this principle, an operator can run units not complying with
this Regulation provided that all the requirements of this Regulation are
fulfilled with the exception of the provisions laid down in paragraph 4.2 for
the siting of the apiaries.In that case, theproduct cannot be sold with
references to organic production methods.
2.Conversion period
2.1.Beekeeping products can be sold with references to the
organic production method only when the provisions laid down in this Regulation
have been complied with for at least one year.During the conversion period the
wax has to be replaced according to the requirements laid down in paragraph 8.3.
3.Origin of the bees
3.1.In the choice of breeds,account must be taken of the
capacity of animals to adapt to local conditions, their vitality and their
resistance to disease.Preference shall be given to the use of European breeds of
Apis mellifera and their local ecotypes.
3.2.Apiaries must be constituted by means of the division of
colonies or the acquisition of swarms or hives from units complying with the
provisions laid down in this Regulation.
3.3.By way of a first derogation,subject to the prior
approval by the inspection authority or body,apiaries existing in the production
unit not complying with the rules of this Regulation can be converted.
3.4.By way of a second derogation,swarms on their own may be
acquired from beekeepers not producing in accordance with this Regulation during
a transitional period expiring on 24 August 2002 subject to the conversion
period.
3.5.By way of a third derogation,the reconstitution of the
apiaries shall be authorised by the control authority or body,when apiaries
complying with this Regulation are not available,in case of high mortality of
animals caused by health or catastrophic circumstances, subject to the
conversion period.
3.6.By way of a fourth derogation,for the renovation of the
apiaries 10 %per year of the queen bees and swarms not complying with this
Regulation can be incorporated into the organic-production unit provided that
the queen bees and swarms are placed in hives with combs or comb foundations
coming from organic-production units.In the case, the conversion period does not
apply.
4.Siting of the apiaries
4.1.The Member States may designate regions or areas where
beekeeping complying with this Regulation is not practicable.A map on an
appropriate scale listing the location of hives as provided for in Annex
III,Part A1,section 2,first indent shall be provided to the inspection authority
or body by the beekeeper.Where no such areas are identified, the beekeeper must
provide the inspection authority or body with appropriate documentation and
evidence, including suitable analyses if necessary,that the areas accessible to
his colonies meet the conditions required in this Regulation.
4.2.The siting of the apiaries must:
ensure enough natural nectar,honeydew and pollen sources for bees and access to water;
be such that,within a radius of 3 km from the apiary site,nectar and pollen sources consist essentially of organically produced crops and/or spontaneous vegetation,according to the requirements of Article 6 and Annex I of this Regulation,and crops not subject to the provisions of this Regulation but treated with low environmental impact methods such as,for example, those described in programs developed under Regulation (EEC)No 2078/92 which cannot significantly affect the qualification of beekeeping production as being organic;
maintain enough distance from any non-agricultural production sources possibly leading to contamination, for example: urban centres, motorways, industrial areas, waste dumps,waste incinerators,etc.The inspection authorities or bodies shall establish measures to ensure this requirement.
The above requirements do not apply to areas where flowering is
not taking place,or when the hives are dormant.
5.Feed
5.1.At the end of the production season hives must be left
with reserves of honey and pollen sufficiently abundant to survive the winter.
5.2.The artificial feeding of colonies is authorised where
the survival of the hives is endangered due to extreme climatic
conditions.Artificial feeding shall be made with organically produced
honey,preferably from the same organic-production unit.
5.3.By way of a first derogation from paragraph 5.2, the
competent authorities of the Member States can authorise the use of
organically-produced sugar syrup,or organic sugar molasses instead of
organically-produced honey in artificial feeding,in particular,when it is
required by climatic conditions that provoke crystallisation of honey.
5.4.By way of a second derogation,sugar syrup, sugar molasses
and honey not covered by this Regulation may be authorised by the inspection
authority or body for artificial feeding during a transitional period expiring
on 24 August 2002.
5.5.The following information shall be entered in the
register of the apiaries with regard to the use of artificial feeding: type of
product,dates,quantities and hives where it is used.
5.6.Other products different from those indicated in
paragraphs 5.1 to 5.4 cannot be used in beekeeping which complies with this
Regulation.
5.7.Artificial feeding may be carried out only between the
last honey harvest and 15 days before the start of the next nectar or honeydew
flow period.
6.Disease prevention and veterinary
treatments
6.1.Disease prevention in beekeeping shall be based on the
following principles:
the selection of appropriate hardy breeds;
the application of certain practices encouraging strong resistance to disease and the prevention of infections, such as:regular renewal of queen bees,systematic inspection of hives to detect any health anomalies, control of male broods in the hives,disinfecting of materials and equipment at regular intervals,destruction of contaminated material or sources,regular renewal of beeswax and sufficient reserves of pollen and honey in hives.
6.2.If despite all the above preventive measures,the colonies
become sick or infested,they must be treated immediately and,if necessary,the
colonies can be placed in isolation apiaries.
6.3.The use of veterinary medicinal products in beekeeping which complies with
this Regulation shall respect the following principles:
they can be used in so far as the corresponding use is authorised in the Member State in accordance with the relevant Community provisions or national provisions in conformity with Community law;
phytotherapeutic and homeopathic products shall be used in preference to allopathic products chemically synthesised,provided that their therapeutic effect is effective for the condition for which the treatment is intended;
if the use of the abovementioned products should prove or is unlikely to be effective to eradicate a disease or infestation which risks destroying colonies,allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products may be used under the responsibility of a veterinarian,or other persons authorised by the Member State,without prejudice to the principles laid down in paragraphs (a)and (b)above;
the use of allopathic chemically synthesised medicinal products for preventive treatments is prohibited;
without prejudice to the principle in (a)above formic acid,lactic acid,acetic acid and oxalic acid and the following substances: menthol, thymol, eucalyptol or camphor can be used in cases of infestation with Varroa jacobsoni
6.4.In addition to the above
principles,veterinary treatments or treatments to hives,combs etc.,which are
compulsory under national or Community legislation shall be authorised.
6.5.If a treatment is applied with chemically synthesised
allopathic products, during such a period,the colonies treated must be placed in
isolation apiaries and all the wax must be replaced with wax complying with the
conditions laid down in this Regulation.Subsequently,the conversion period of
one year will apply to those colonies.
6.6.The requirements laid down in the previous paragraph do
not apply to products mentioned in paragraph 6.3(e).
6.7.Whenever veterinary medicinal products are to be used,
the type of product (including the indication of the active pharmacological
substance)together with details of the diagnosis,the posology,the method of
administration, the duration of the treatment and the legal withdrawal period
must be recorded clearly and declared to the inspection body or authority before
the products are marketed as organically produced.
7.Husbandry management practices and
identification
7.1.The destruction of bees in the combs as a method
associated with the harvesting of beekeeping products is prohibited.
7.2.Mutilation such as clipping the wings of queen bees is
prohibited.
7.3.The replacement of the queen bees involving the killing
of the old queen is permitted.
7.4.The practice of destroying the male brood is permitted
only to contain the infestation with Varroa jacobsoni .
7.5.The use of chemical synthetic repellents is prohibited
during honey extractions operations.
7.6.The zone where the apiary is situated must be registered
together with the identification of the hives.The inspection body or authority
must be informed of the moving of apiaries with a deadline agreed on with the
inspection authority or body.
7.7.Particular care shall be taken to ensure adequate
extraction, processing and storage of beekeeping products. All the measures to
comply with these requirements shall be recorded.
7.8.The removals of the supers and the honey extraction
operations must be entered in the register of the apiary.
8.Characteristics of hives and materials
used in beekeeping
8.1.The hives must be made basically of natural materials
presenting no risk of contamination to the environment or the apiculture
products.
8.2.With the exception of products mentioned in paragraph
6.3(e)in the hives can be used only natural products such as propolis, wax and
plant oils.
8.3.The beeswax for new foundations must come from organic
production units.By way of derogation, in particular in the case of new
installations or during the conversion period, bees wax not coming from such
units may be authorised by the inspection authority or body in exceptional
circumstances where organically produced beeswax is not available on the market
and provided that it comes from the cap.
8.4.The use of combs, which contain broods, is prohibited for
honey extraction.
8.5.For the purposes of protecting materials (frames, hives
and combs),in particular from pests,only appropriate products listed in part
B,Section 2,of Annex II are permitted.
8.6.Physical treatments such as stream or direct flame are
permitted.
8.7.For cleaning and disinfecting
materials,buildings,equipment, utensils or products used in beekeeping only the
appropriate substances listed in Annex II Part E are permitted.
| Realization / Réalisation / Realización
/ Realisierung: Gilles RATIA Last update / Mise à jour / Actualizado el / Letzte Bearbeitung: 27/06/01 APISERVICES - Copyright © 1995-2001 |
|
