Bee health: a Commission paper outlines need for more action in the EU
Healthy bees are important both for honey production and as pollinators of plants, such as fruit trees. In recent years, an increase in bee mortality has been reported in several countries around the world. To get a better understanding of the reasons behind the high bee mortality worldwide, the European Commission today set out its ideas on a series of specific actions. So far, scientific studies have determined neither the exact causes nor the precise extent of the problem. The Commission has launched a number of initiatives to address the concerns of the beekeeping sector, and other actions are already in the pipeline. Beekeeping is a widely-developed activity in the EU. There are about 700,000 beekeepers in the Union, most of whom enjoy beekeeping as a hobby. The paper adopted today will assist the efforts to find solutions to the problem.
06/12/10