Here, you will find a collection of official APIMONDIA Statements addressing some of the most important challenges facing beekeeping and pollinators worldwide. These statements reflect APIMONDIA’s scientifically grounded positions, developed through international cooperation, expert discussions, and decades of experience within the global beekeeping and scientific community.

A particular focus is placed on issues related to the authenticity, quality, and integrity of honey. APIMONDIA Statements address honey fraud and adulteration, outlining risks to beekeepers, consumers, and markets, as well as recommended approaches to detect and prevent fraudulent practices. The documents also explain the scientific background of immature honey production and clarify why certain production methods conflict with the internationally accepted definition of honey.

APIMONDIA STATEMENT ON HONEY FRAUD

This document constitutes the official position of APIMONDIA regarding honey purity, authenticity, fair modes of production, and the best available recommended methods to detect and prevent honey fraud.

APIMONDIA STATEMENT ON “VEGAN HONEY”

The official position of APIMONDIA regarding vegan products that use the word “honey” on the labels. It aims to clarify concepts for authorities, traders, supermarkets, retailers, manufacturers, consumers, and other stakeholders of the honey trade chain about the definition of honey and the implications of the misuse of the name “honey”.

APIMONDIA STATEMENT ON IMMATURE HONEY PRODUCTION

This Statement gives the scientific background and concepts on why this mode of production leads to a violation of the definition of honey and constitutes a fraud.

THE COMPLEXITY OF HONEY FRAUD DETECTION

This document aims to be a useful guidance for authorities and stakeholders of the honey chain to understand the complexity of honey fraud detection. The complexity and diversity of honey as an analytical matrix and the multiple modes of honey adulteration make the use of a multi-pronged approach absolutely necessary.

JOINT STATEMENT ON HONEY ADULTERATION

Prepared by Apimondia, BeeLife, EPBA, and COPA-COGECA, this Statement emphasizes on the need to urgently put in place a strategic plan that coordinates the various players of the honey sector. A vulnerability assessment of the market chain must be carried out to identify the different factors that contribute to honey fraud.

STATEMENT ON HONEY BEE GENETIC RESOURSES

A further statement addresses the protection of honey bee genetic resources, recognizing that these resources are the result of generations of collaborative breeding by beekeepers worldwide. Since 1895, APIMONDIA has united beekeepers to advance apiculture, and in 2016 it adopted the Open Source Breeding Material license to safeguard collective breeding efforts and ensure free and open access to honey bee genetics for present and future generations.

Together, these statements serve as key reference documents for beekeepers, policymakers, researchers, control authorities, and other stakeholders, contributing to greater transparency, fair practices, and the long-term sustainability of beekeeping and food security worldwide.