On November 28, 2023, the European Union (EU) introduced a significant new regulation, Regulation (EU) 2023/2652, which has reshaped the landscape for honey and bee product imports from non-EU countries. This regulation has had a profound impact on Chinese honey exporters, presenting both significant challenges and new opportunities.
Understanding the New Policy:
The new regulation imposes an import list system, requiring that only organizations listed by the EU can export bee products to the EU. This list is provided by the competent authorities of third countries and becomes official after EU confirmation. The regulation took effect immediately, with a one-year transition period ending on November 29, 2024. After this date, bee products from organizations not on the list will be prohibited from entering the EU market.
Impact on Chinese Honey Exports:
Challenges:
- Limited Number of Enterprises: Many Chinese honey processing companies did not make the EU’s approval list, losing their export qualifications to the EU market.
- Decreased Export Volume: The inability of some companies to enter the EU market has affected the total export volume of Chinese honey to the EU, leading to a decline in export volume.
- Increased Costs: To meet EU entry requirements, Chinese honey processing companies need to invest more in upgrading production equipment, building quality management systems, and conducting inspections and tests, increasing production costs.
- Increased Trade Risks: The EU’s approval list system has some uncertainty and variability. Companies need to closely monitor EU policy dynamics and list updates to avoid risks such as cargo detention, return, or destruction, increasing the uncertainty and risks of trade.
Opportunities:
- Promoting Industrial Upgrading: This measure encourages the Chinese honey industry to strengthen self-discipline, standardize operations, and improve overall quality management levels. To obtain EU approval, enterprises will increase investment in technological innovation, product quality improvement, and brand building, which is conducive to the upgrading and sustainable development of China’s honey industry.
- Improving International Competitiveness: By meeting EU’s high standards, Chinese honey enterprises can improve their product quality and management level, enhancing their competitiveness in the international market. Once an enterprise successfully enters the EU approval list, it will establish a good brand image in the international market and help expand other international markets.
- Optimizing Market Structure: The implementation of the EU approval list system will eliminate some backward and substandard enterprises, optimizing the structure of China’s honey export market. Those enterprises with strong strength and competitiveness will occupy a larger share in the market, which is conducive to the healthy development of the industry.
Delee Foods Group Co., Ltd.: A Success Story:
Delee Foods Group Co., Ltd. successfully obtained EU export qualifications in mid-2024 and has exported honey to many EU countries, including Poland, France, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Hungary. Our success is not accidental. First, we strictly control quality in the production process, from the selection of bee sources to the collection, processing, and packaging of honey, every link follows a high-standard quality control system. Second, we focus on technological innovation, continuously introducing advanced production equipment and testing technologies to ensure that products meet all EU standards. Additionally, we actively cooperate with domestic and foreign research institutions to strengthen research on honey quality and nutritional value, improving the added value of our products.
While the EU’s new honey import policy has posed some challenges to Chinese honey exports, it has also provided opportunities for the upgrading and development of China’s honey industry. With the improvement of overall quality management levels and the enhancement of international competitiveness, the prospects for Chinese honey in the EU market and even the global market are broader. Delee Foods Group Co., Ltd. stands as a testament to what can be achieved with strict quality control, technological innovation, and strategic partnerships. As the industry continues to evolve, we remain committed to meeting and exceeding the highest standards, ensuring that our honey products continue to delight consumers worldwide.
