Beekeeping: act now to stop decline

On the occasion of the vote at the European Parliament regarding the Resolution on beekeeping,

the representatives of the beekeeping sector at Copa and Cogeca have gathered in Brussels to

discuss the serious situation facing European beekeeping today.

Following their meeting, the representatives highlighted in particular the problem of colony loss

linked to environmental and health reasons, the lack of veterinary medicines to control disease

and bee parasites as well as the worrying drop in the number of beekeepers.

Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of Copa-Cogeca, declared: “Beekeeping is an integral part of

agricultural production in Europe. Bees play a key role in the pollination of a large number of

agricultural crops  but also wild plants. As such, beekeeping contributes significantly to the

preservation of biodiversity. The European Parliament’s support for beekeeping must serve as a

basis for the drawing up of strategies in addition to the existing aid programme.”

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 A recent study (‘Ecological Economics’ journal, August 2008) assesses the value of pollination by insects, bees
in particular, at 153 billion euros for the main food crops. This figure represents 9.5% of the value of all world
food production. More than 75% of food crops and 35% of food production still depend on pollinators, for the
most part bees.
For more information, please contact:
Stanislav Jas
Livestock Policy Advisor
Telephone: + 32 2 287 27 33
stanislav.jas@copa-cogeca.eu
Simon Michel-Berger
Press Officer
Mobile telephone: + 32 474 840 836
simon.michel-berger@copa-cogeca.eu
CDP(08)7518
Copa - Cogeca | European Farmers European Agri-Cooperatives
61, Rue de Trèves | B - 1040 Bruxelles | www.copa-cogeca.eu