Annexes to COM(2023)11 - Implementation of apiculture programmes - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2023)11 - Implementation of apiculture programmes. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2023)11  |
| date | January 13, 2023 |
Figure 2: Allocation of the EU contribution per Member State for the 2020-2022 apiculture years
Source: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/974 (for 2020) and Commission Implementing Decision 2021/974 (for 2021 and 2022).
4.5 Expenditure incurred per type of measure
Under Article 10 of Regulation 2015/1368, Member States are required to provide by 15 March each year an annual implementation report covering the previous apiculture year. The first two annual reports, corresponding to the 2020 26 and 2021 27 apiculture years, were notified in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The breakdown of expenditure per type of measure for the 2021 apiculture year is shown in the pie chart below (Figure 3). For comparison, Figure 4 gives a similar breakdown per type of measure for the 2020 apiculture year, showing that the overall distribution, measured as a percentage, was similar.
In 2021, two measures (technical assistance and combating beehive invaders) accounted for 54% of the available funding. In 2020, similar to previous years, the combined rate for these measures was close to 60%. This reflects the continuous need for upskilling of beekeepers and investment in beekeeping equipment supported under measure A (technical assistance) and beekeeping practices to fight against diseases and beehives’ invaders supported under measure B (combating beehive invaders and diseases).
Similar to previous years, the next two most popular measures were rationalisation of transhumance and restocking of beehives, accounting for 40% of total expenditure across the Member States in 2021 and 34% in 2020. In several Member States, transhumance is an essential beekeeping practice, necessary to cover the nutritional needs of honeybees during the whole beekeeping season and provide pollination services.
Measures to conduct applied research and analysis of honey came in at 5th and 6th place in terms of support, receiving 2.7% and 2.4% of the funding available in 2021.
The measures to support product improvement and market monitoring, which were first introduced in the 2017-2019 programme, together received less than 2% of funding both in 2020 and 2021.
Figure 3: Expenditure in percentage per measure during apiculture year 2021
Source: Member States’ annual implementation report for 2021.
Figure 4: Expenditure in percentage per measure during apiculture year 2020
Source: Member States’ annual implementation report for 2020.
5. METHODS USED TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF BEEHIVES
Under Article 3 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1366, as of 2017, Member States submitting apiculture programmes must notify to the Commission each year the number of beehives in their territory that are ready for wintering. Furthermore, Member States were required under Article 2 of said Regulation to have a reliable method to determine this number, which had to be described in their apiculture programmes. This Delegated Regulation was adopted in 2015, based on the empowerment granted under Article 56(1)(b) of the CMO, and laid down the basis for allocating the EU’s financial contribution to the Member States’ apiculture programmes, based on the number of beehives.
It also stipulated the definition of a beehive as ‘… the unit containing a honeybee colony used for the production of honey, other apiculture products or honeybee breeding material, and all the elements necessary for its survival’.
Although the annual funding to the Member States in the CAP strategic plans will no longer be based on the number of notified beehives, it is still important to know the number of beehives in Member States. This information is necessary to be able to follow developments in the sector, evaluate the impact of support as well as to keep European citizens informed. Under the future CAP plans in accordance with Articles 36 to 38 of Regulation (EU) 2022/126 28 , Member States are required to include the description of a reliable method for calculating the number of beehives ready for wintering in their strategic plan and to notify the number of beehives by the 15 June each year. These calculation methods reported by Member States under both the 2020-2022 programmes and the strategic plans continue relatively unchanged from the first reported methods in the 2017-2019 apiculture programmes, described in the previous report of 17 December 2019.
As there was no harmonised rule governing these aspects before the application of that delegated act, the numbers of beehives notified before its application in 2017 cannot be directly compared with the number of beehives notified after 15 March 2017. Nevertheless, the long-term historical trend indicates that the number of beehives in the European Union has increased year on year as shown in Figure 5. This positive trend can be seen in almost all Member States.
Figure 5: Evolution of the number of beehives in the EU in thousands
Source: Member States’ annual notification of the numbers of beehives ready for wintering in their territory.
6. APICULTURE IN THE CAP STRATEGIC PLANS AFTER 2022
As from 2023, support to the apiculture sector will be granted through apiculture interventions included in the national CAP strategic plans. While under the CMO, it was voluntary for Member States to implement apiculture programmes, as of 2023 they will be mandatory. Including apiculture in the CAP plans will increase the visibility of the sector and ensure that its contribution to the overall objectives of the common agricultural policy is taken into account.
Funding for apiculture interventions, as set out in Annex X to the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation will remain unchanged from 2023 to 2025, at EUR 60 million per financial year. The budget for 2023 will cater for both the apiculture interventions implemented under the strategic plans (and paid over the period 1 January 2023 to 15 October 2023) and the apiculture measures implemented from 1 August 2022 to 31 December 2022 under the current apiculture programmes (and paid during the period 16 October 2022 to 15 October 2023). Similarly, the financial envelopes for the further financial years will cover expenditure for the apiculture interventions implemented under the Strategic Plans as well as any possible residual expenditure for the apiculture measures implemented under the current apiculture programmes. A number of Member States will indeed make use of the 2023 financial allocation for the payment of measures implemented during the last 5 months of 2022 as signalled in their Strategic Plans. Another change introduced in the Strategic Plans allows Member States to increase their co-financing rate from the minimum obligatory 50% up to 70% to further enhance their budget. Three Member States (BG, IT and LU) have chosen to do so; the others continue with the obligatory minimum co-financing rate of 50%.
In setting up their apiculture interventions from 2023-2027 under the strategic plan, Member States have to pursue at least one of the specific objectives of the CAP (Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115).
Similar to current programmes, support for apiculture will be provided through a number of interventions drawn up by Member States in collaboration with representatives of organisations in the beekeeping field. Member States can choose from seven types of interventions in Article 55 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, listed below, which carry over from previous measures under the CMO Regulation and further broadens the scope of the support provided. These are:
a) advisory services, technical assistance, training, information and exchange of best practices, including through networking, for beekeepers and beekeepers’ organisations;
b) investments in tangible and intangible assets, as well as other actions, including for:
I)combatting beehive invaders and diseases, in particular varroasis;
II)preventing damage caused by adverse climatic events and promoting the development and use of management practices adapted to changing climate conditions;
III)restocking of beehives in the Union, including bee breeding;
IV)rationalising transhumance;
c) actions to support laboratories for the analysis of apiculture products, bee losses or productivity drops, and substances potentially toxic to bees;
d) actions to preserve or increase the existing number of beehives in the Union, including bee breeding;
e) cooperation with specialised bodies for the implementation of research programmes in the field of beekeeping and apiculture products;
f) promotion, communication and marketing including market monitoring actions and activities aimed in particular at raising consumer awareness about the quality of apiculture products;
g) actions to enhance product quality.
7. CONCLUSION
The importance of supporting the apiculture sector is recognised by all in the EU, from EU institutions, national and regional authorities to the general public. Though they were voluntary, all Member States have run apiculture programmes in past years in close collaboration with the sector and its representatives. Including apiculture support in the CAP strategic plans as a mandatory component for all Member States further underlines the importance of the sector and recognises its contribution to the CAP specific objectives, notably in enhancing biodiversity and preserving habitats. It also recognises the valuable support provided through these programmes in addressing the increasing challenges in beekeeping that are compounded by climate change.
The range of measures has increased over the years, particularly with the latest types of interventions introduced in the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation. These interventions expand and improve on the previous measures, providing a broader scope of possible actions to meet the needs of the sector across Member States. Coupled to this, the substantial increase in funding since 2021 and the scope granted to Member States to increase their national co-financing should provide the resources needed for the sector to improve the production and marketing of apiculture products whilst catering for the diverse needs of its beekeepers across the EU. This augurs well for the continued high uptake of the available funds across all Member States.
A good indicator of the positive impact of these programmes on the sector is the number of beehives, which continues to increase year on year. However, this is not always accompanied by an increase in production, which is heavily dependent on climatic conditions amongst other factors. The overall profitability of the sector also depends on a fair price being paid to beekeepers for their products. Average prices for honey in the EU have not increased much over the years, while production costs continue to rise and import prices fall. Overcoming the many challenges require a concerted effort by all. This underscores the need to continue to provide support to the sector, particularly given the invaluable role that bees play for agriculture and the environment.
(1) Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.
(2)
Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 December 2020 laying down certain transitional provisions for support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) in the years 2021 and 2022 and amending Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013, (EU) No 1306/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013 as regards resources and application in the years 2021 and 2022 and Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 as regards resources and the distribution of such support in respect of the years 2021 and 2022 OJ L 437, 28.12.2020, p. 1.
(3) Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027, OJ L 433 I, 22.12.2020, p. 11 . The total amount provided for in the multiannual financial framework in respect of the European Agricultural Guarantee fund includes an increase to EUR 60 million per year for apiculture programmes.
(4) Council Regulation (EC) No 1221/97 of 25 June 1997 laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey, OJ L 173, 1.7.97, p. 1.
(5)
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1366 of 11 May 2015 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to aid in the apiculture sector, OJ L 211, 8.8.2015, p. 3-6.
(6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 of 6 August 2015 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to aid in the apiculture sector, OJ L 211, 8.8.2015, p. 9-16.
(7) https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat .
(8) https://comtrade.un.org/ .
(9) http://www.fao.org/home/en/ .
(10)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/animals-and-animal-products/animal-products/honey_en
(11) In accordance with the requirements laid down in Article 15(3) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1475 of 6 September 2022 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the evaluation of the CAP Strategic Plans and the provision of information for monitoring and evaluation OJ L 232, 7.9.2022, p. 8.
(12) COM_COM(2019)0635_EN.pdf (europa.eu)
(13) Self-sufficiency rate = EU production/(production+imports-exports).
(14) Source of trade data: Eurostat Comext, https://trade.ec.europa.eu/tradehelp/statistics
(15)
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/580 of 1 February 2021 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1366 as regards the basis for allocating the financial contribution in the apiculture sector, OJ L 124, 12.4.2021, p. 1.
(16)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/166 of 10 February 2021 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1368 as regards the extension of the national programmes in the apiculture sector, OJ L 48, 11.2.2021, p. 1.
(17)
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/974 of 12 June 2019 approving the national programmes to improve the production and marketing of apiculture products submitted by the Member States under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2019) 4177) OJ L 157, 14.6.2019, p. 28.
(18)
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/974 of 9 June 2021 approving the amended national programmes to improve the production and marketing of apiculture products submitted by the Member States under Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (notified under document C(2021) 4021), OJ L 215, 17.6.2021, p. 37.
(19) The apiculture products covered by the apiculture programmes are listed in Part XXII of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and are honey, royal jelly, propolis, pollen and beeswax.
(20) Total EU contribution for the EU-28, including the United Kingdom.
(21) Total amount for the EU-27, excluding the UK.
(22) EU contribution for EU 27 excluding the UK.
(23) The budget for the 2023 financial year may also be used for payment of measures implemented from 1 August 2022 to 31 December 2022, as explained in section 6.
(24) Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 December 2021 establishing rules on support for strategic plans to be drawn up by Member States under the common agricultural policy (CAP strategic plans) and financed by the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1305/2013 and (EU) No 1307/2013, OJ L 435 6.12.2021, p. 1.
(25) Article 1 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/580.
(26) Timeframe 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020.
(27) Timeframe 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021.
(28) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/126 of 7 December 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council with additional requirements for certain types of intervention specified by Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans for the period 2023 to 2027 under that Regulation as well as rules on the ratio for the good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC) standard 1, OJ L 20, 31.1.2022, p. 52.