Council Regulation (EC) No. 1221/97 laying down general rules for the application of measures to improve the production and marketing of honey.

This Regulation lays down measures for improving general conditions for the production and marketing of honey in compliance with the definition given in Council Directive 74/409/EEC of 22 July 1974 on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to honey (6). To this end, Member States may lay down national programmes for each year. Programmes shall be forwarded to the Commission, which shall approve them in accordance with the procedure laid down in article 17 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2771/75 of 29 October 1975 on the common organization of the market in eggs. The following measures may be comprised in such programmes: (a) technical assistance to members of beekeepers' associations and honey houses with a view to improving the conditions for the production and extraction of honey; (b) the control of varroasis and related diseases; (c) improvement of the conditions for the treatment of hives; (d) rationalization of transhumance; (e) measures to support laboratories carrying out analyses on the physico-chemical properties of honey; (f) cooperation with specialized bodies for the implementation of applied research programmes to improve the quality of honey. Article 3 refers to the allocation of financial resources by the Community for the implementation of the national programmes adopted by Member States as referred above. The Commission shall present to the European Parliament and the Council every three years a report on the application of this Regulation.