Translation of letter From: Willi Pompe and Barbara Chaselon, Unit 422 Animal products, German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) Date: 5 April 2013 To: DG AGRI, Unit C4 Animal products Ref: Ref. Ares(2013)557487-08/04/2013 Apiculture programmes under Article 105(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 Three-year programme 2013/14-2015/16 Enclosures Enclosed please find, for your consideration and any further action, Germany s National Programme adopted on 18 December 2012 under Article 105 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, in conjunction with Regulation (EC) No 917/2004, for the marketing years 2013/14 to 2015/16. The documents have also been entered in the ISAMM database. Accordingly, I would request that your decision be dated 1 September 2013 or refer to the start of the period of validity. [complimentary close]
BMVL, Unit 422 Enclosure 1 20 March 2013 National Programme for Germany adopted on 18 December 2012 under Article 105 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, in conjunction with Regulation (EC) No 917/2004, for the marketing years 2013/14 to 2015/16 The information below (as last updated on 18 December 2012) is submitted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 917/2004: Article 1(a) Description of the situation in the sector - During the three-year programme for the marketing years 2010/11 to 2012/13 the number of bee colonies increased slightly, to their current number of 711 299. The number of beekeepers has also risen. - From the beginning to the end of the support period the honey yield decreased to around 22 kg per bee colony, partly due to the fact that many new and young beekeepers pursue beekeeping mainly out of interest for nature and the environment. - Owing to the drop in domestic production and somewhat lower consumption, the level of self-sufficiency also fell to its current level of around 20%. - In the course of the current national programme, imports from third countries fell whereas imports from other Member States increased. - Overall export levels have remained relatively stable. - In Germany domestically produced honey is largely marketed directly (over 90 %). - Honey prices currently range from 4.00 to 6.50 for a 500 g jar.
i) to iv) i) Total number of beekeepers 98 297 ii) Number of beekeepers with more then 150 hives 600 iii) Total number of hives 711 299 iv) Honey production in t: 15 699 v) Targets of the apiculture programme - Improving the general production and marketing conditions for apiculture products that are pure and do not contain any residue; - Promoting the training of new/young beekeepers and advanced training of beekeepers in order to conserve the beekeeping trade; - Maintaining or increasing the bee population through measures to improve bee health, in particular measures to control varroasis; - Fostering pollination so as to ensure biodiversity among crops and wild plants through environment-friendly and locally anchored beekeeping; - Boosting the competitiveness of local honey and apiculture products against imports from third countries. Article 1(b) Detailed description of measures, estimation of costs and financing plan broken down by year at national level (see the Enclosures) i) Technical assistance to beekeepers and beekeeping associations - Certain measures for technical assistance to beekeepers and beekeeping associations entail expenses that are necessary for the training and advanced training of beekeepers and bee specialists. - The cost of equipment to be used over several years and exclusively for the measures referred to in Article 106 of Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 is supported by the Länder. - Expenses for setting up and modernising training hives.
ii) Controlling varroasis In Germany there is still a need for support to control varroasis - through applied research projects on controlling varroasis and related illnesses to avoid losses to the bee population, and - through expenditure for the procurement of treatments against varroasis that are approved in pharmaceutical legislation. iii) Rationalisation of transhumance The importance of pollination by bees is one reason why transhumance is supported in Germany. The eligible measures include transhumance planning and organisation, agreement with farms and orchards, land allocation and the keeping of records where transhumance is evaluated. iv) Analysis of honey Honey inspections are supported to determine the quality and variety as well as the origin of the honey (with specific regional particularities). Residue inspections are also eligible. The criteria laid down in the Honey Order of 16 January 2004 are applied during quality checks. Germany still considers that it would make sense to approve support for wax inspections as well, as clean wax is necessary as a basis for honey production and a wax analysis can be seen as an early indicator of the quality of the forthcoming honey harvest. v) Restocking of bee colonies Due to continued high losses among bee colonies, support for restocking hives is on offer in Germany in the form of subsidies for purchasing bee colonies if necessary. This includes issuing a bee colony upon successful completion of a recognised beginners course. vi) Applied research programmes Projects that aim, among other things, to optimise honey production and marketing by determining and improving ingredients, meliferous plants, honey structure and production technology are supported in cooperation with the supported bee institutes.
Only programmes relating to applied research in the field of beekeeping and apiculture products are supported. Research projects aimed at controlling varroasis are as a rule supported under the varroasis measure. Estimated costs financing plan Under the constitution the implementation of the national programme in Germany is the responsibility of the Länder. The resources allocated to the implementation of the measures are differentiated by budgetary year at national and regional level as listed in Enclosures 2(a) - 2(c). Article 1(c) and (e) Legislative and administrative provisions and implementing rules for the monitoring and evaluation of the apiculture programme (see the Enclosures) The following legislative and administrative provisions are applicable: - Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation), or any subsequent rules replacing it; - Commission Regulation (EC) No 917/2004 of 29 April 2004 on detailed rules to implement Council Regulation (EC) No 797/2004 on actions in the field of beekeeping, or any subsequent rules replacing it; - Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 of 21 June 2005 on the financing of the common agricultural policy, or any subsequent rules replacing it; - Commission Regulation (EC) No 885/2006 of 21 June 2006 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1290/2005 as regards the accreditation of paying agencies and other bodies and the clearance of the accounts of the EAGF and of the EAFRD; - Honey Order of 16 January 2004 (BGBl. I, p. 92), as last amended by provisions of the Order of 8 August 2007 (BGBl. I, p. 1816). In addition, corresponding guidelines on the support for measures to improve the production and marketing of honey have been adopted in the majority of the Länder (see some examples in the Enclosures).
The guidelines provide binding rules for: - Objective/purpose of support - Beneficiaries - Support conditions - Type, scope and amount of aid - Procedural provisions - Controls and penalties - Legal basis (Land budget act, budget law, general administrative and interest provisions) - The Länder have drawn up financing plans which show the amount of resources provided by the Land, the amount of EU co-financing applied for and the financial contribution from the beekeeping organisations. - The programmes of the Länder have been drawn up in close cooperation with the beekeeping associations in each Land. - The Länder have been informed that the implementation of the measures in the programmes and the associated accounts will be inspected and penalties imposed where necessary on the basis of the relevant EAGF provisions. EAGF inspections must be announced in the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Article 1(d) List of representative apiculture organisations and cooperatives (for the period 2013/2014 to 2015/2016) Bayerische Imkervereinigung e.v. Bayerische Landesanstalt für Weinbau und Gartenbau, Fachzentrum Bienen, Veitshöchheim Berufsimker Landesgruppe Bayern Bieneninstitut Kirchhain (Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen) Bremer Imkervereinigung Bund Deutscher Buckfastimker e.v. Deutscher Berufs und Erwerbs Imker Bund e.v. Imkerverband Berlin e.v. Imkerverband Hamburg e.v. Imkerverband Nassau e.v. Imkerverband Rheinland e.v.
Imkerverband Rheinland-Pfalz e.v. Imkerverband Sachsen-Anhalt e.v. Institut für Bienenkunde, Celle (Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit) Institut für Bienenkunde, Oberursel (Universität Frankfurt) Interessengemeinschaft Berlin-Brandenburgische Imker e.v. Länderinstitut für Bienenkunde Hohen Neuendorf e.v. Landesanstalt für Bienenkunde der Universität Hohenheim Landesverband Badischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Bayerischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Brandenburgischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Buckfastimker Bayern e.v. Landesverband der Buckfastimker Berlin-Brandenburg e.v. Landesverband der Buckfastimker Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e.v. Landesverband der Buckfastimker Weser-Ems e.v. Landesverband der Imker im Saarland e.v. Landesverband der Imker Mecklenburg und Vorpommern e.v. Landesverband der Imker Weser-Ems e.v. Landesverband der Rheinland-Pfälzischen Buckfastimker e.v. Landesverband Hannoverscher Imker e.v. Landesverband Hessischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Niedersächsischer Buckfastimker e.v. Landesverband Saarländischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Sächsischer Buckfastimker e.v. Landesverband Sächsischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Schleswig-Holsteinischer und Hamburger Imker e.v. Landesverband Thüringer Imker e.v. Landesverband Westfälischer und Lippischer Imker e.v. Landesverband Württembergischer Imker e.v. Verband Bayerischer Bienenzüchter e.v. Article 1(e) Implementing rules for the monitoring and evaluation of the apiculture programme See the comments under Article 1(c). Article 4 Documents regarding monitoring As mentioned above under Article 1(c), most Länder have adopted guidelines on support for measures to improve the production and marketing of honey. By way of example, No 7 of
the Guidelines on the support for measures to improve the production and marketing of honey in Hessen is reproduced below (see the Enclosure): 7. Checks and penalties 7.1. Administrative and on-the-spot checks are to be carried out by the competent authorities and bodies in accordance with the instructions of the EU paying agency. 7.2. All aid applications are to be subjected to administrative checks in which all illegible measures and commitments are closely examined on the basis of all the relevant information available. 7.3. On-the-spot checks must be unannounced and cover at least five per cent of all aid applications. Each training course is to be treated as a specific aid application. If significant irregularities are discovered as a result of on-the-spot checks, the competent authorities must conduct additional checks during the programme year. All obligations and commitments imposed on the beneficiary are subject to checking. Payment for an approved measure is to be withheld if an on-the-spot check cannot be carried out for reasons for which the beneficiary can be held responsible. 7.4. If, as a result of checking, it is established that the assessment criteria on the basis of which a grant has been paid were not actually met, - the grant is to be reduced accordingly or, where appropriate, recovered in the case of obvious transcription errors or clerical mistakes (e.g. reversed figures); - the grant is to be reduced by double the amount to be recovered in the case of other false declarations not made intentionally or as a result of gross negligence; - the grant is to be fully recovered and the applicant excluded from receiving any further grants under these Guidelines in the case of false declarations made intentionally or as a result of gross negligence. Article 5 Programmes under Objectives 1 and 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 The Länder have declared that they have not approved any support measures in the context of this programme that are also components of operational programmes in Objective 1 or Objective 2 areas and already subsidised with funds from the EU budget.