Council Directive 74/409/EEC on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to honey.

This Directive has been adopted with a view to harmonizing national provisions relating to honey. Since an uniform definition of the term "honey" is necessary to make provision for the different varieties which may be marketed under appropriate names, to fix the general specific criteria for its composition, and to lay down the main information which is to appear on labels, article 1(1) establishes that, for the purposes of this Directive, "honey" shall mean the foodstuff which is produced by the honey-bee from the nectar of blossoms or secretions of or on living parts of plants, and which the bees collect, transform, combine with specific substances of their own and store and leave to mature in honey combs. This foodstuff may be fluid, viscous or crystallized. Further, article 1(2) specifies the main types of honeys according to origin blossom honey or mode of presentation. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that honey may be offered for sale only if it conforms to the definitions and rules laid down in this Directive and in the Annex thereto. In particular, no products other than honey may be added to honey offered for sale as such. When placed on the market, honey must comply with the compositional criteria established in the Annex attached. In addition, honey shall be free from organic or inorganic matters foreign to its composition, such as mould, insects, insect debris, brood or grains of sand, when the honey is marketed as such or is used in any product for human consumption (art. 6, par. 2). Article 7 determines the only indication which shall compulsorily appear on the packages, containers or labels of honey. Such information shall be clear, legible and indelible. This Directive shall not apply to products intended for export from the Community.