According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, the two countries will issue a joint declaration calling for an amendment to the EU Honey Directive.

The two countries believe that the current Directive does not provide consumers with reliable information on the geographical origin of honey. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Aleksandra Pivec, declared the initiative, which will be on the agenda of the EU Council meeting on 27 January, to be of extreme importance for the protection of honey producers in each Member State. "Consumers must be properly informed and made aware of the choice of food and have the right to know the quality of the food which they are buying," said the Minister.

The Honey Directive requires honey producers to label honey with the country of its origin; however, when the honey is blended from more than one Member State of origin or even from a non-EU Member State, the resulting product can be marked as a honey blend originating from EU Member States, from non-EU Member States or from EU Member States and non-EU Member States.

Since such labelling does not provide consumers with detailed and unambiguous information about the origin of honey, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food launched the activities for amending the Honey Directive in the part relating to the labelling of honey blends on the initiative of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association. With the support of like-minded Member States, Slovenia and Portugal are calling upon the European Commission to provide for clearer geographical origin labelling of such honey blends.

Slovenia to participate in international Green Week trade show in Berlin 

As the country that initiated the proposal for the proclamation of 20 May as World Bee Day, Slovenia is also presenting its beekeeping industry and other opportunities for tourists at the 85^th Green Week international exhibition for the food, agricultural and horticultural industries that is currently taking place in Berlin under the slogan "Plant Your Success". Gastronomy is the focal point of Slovenia's presentation at the event given the fact that the country has been awarded the official title of European Gastronomic Region of 2021. Visitors of Slovenia's exhibition stand in Hall 18 of Messe Berlin have the opportunity to taste various typical Slovenian foods and natural spring water that is part of the country's national wealth. Exhibitors also include winegrowers and winemakers with wine made from native grape varieties as their flagship product and a presentation of the country's three winegrowing regions.

Slovenian food, wine, water and other beverages will be available to visitors for tasting at the "Slovenian Tavern". The exhibits at the Slovenian stand will also include an innovative product, the Quick Tap, a self-filling beer tap.