With the support of like-minded countries, Slovenia proposed changing the directive on honey labelling at Monday's session of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels, which was attended by State Secretary Jože Podgoršek, the Agriculture, Forestry and Food Ministry said in a press release.

The directive sets down three labels for honey blends which contain honey from more than one member state or also from a third country: a blend of EU honeys, a blend of non-EU honeys, and a blend of EU and non-EU honeys.

Slovenia argues this does not provide for unequivocal, reliable and comprehensive information about the origin of honey blends.

The country is a major advocate of pollinators and its cottage honey industry, and in December 2017 the UN declared 20 May World Bee Day upon its initiative.

Yesterday's first session of EU agriculture ministers under Croatia's presidency focussed on the EU's Green New Deal, which lays out the bloc's plan for tackling climate change until 2050.

Podgoršek said that "making agriculture green within the entire EU represents a competitive advantage as it brings an opportunity for development and growth, not only within the EU but also globally".

Slovenia thus advocates a position that agriculture's transition towards securing safe and quality food accessible to all, which is at the same time responsible to natural resources, is the right way, Podgoršek was quoted as saying at the session.