Address by Tanja STRNIŠA, State Secretary
European Parliament / Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Brussels, 16 April 2015
Mr Chairman of the Committee, Czesłav Adam Siekierski, Members of the European
Parliament,
Let me begin by apologising on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the
Republic of Slovenia, Mr Dejan Židan, who is unable to attend today's session because of his
unavoidable obligations as deputy prime minister and minister in the Slovenian Government.
I am greatly honoured to be able to outline, on his behalf and before the Committee on
Agriculture and Rural Development, the importance of our joint efforts in preserving bees in
Slovenia, the EU and worldwide. My aim is to describe to this esteemed Committee the
importance of bees for food production, nature and society. Traditional Slovenian beekeeping
and the local Carniolan Honeybee breed are inseparable from our national identity. Both are
reflected in a rich collection of cultural and natural heritage, as well as in the treasury of
beekeeping knowledge itself.
Slovenia boasts an exceptional diversity of landscape and outstanding biodiversity. It is one
of the most forested as well as hilly countries of Europe. These conditions are difficult for
agricultural activities, so Slovenia developed a prevalent model of family farming with small
and fragmented arable land and relatively extensive production.
The protection of natural resources, in which Slovenia is still very rich, is one of the leading
orientations in achieving the objectives of self-sufficiency and competitive development of
Slovenian agriculture. Finding a balance between economic, social and environmental
aspects is thus one of the greatest challenges in the coordination of agricultural and other
polices. The Common Agricultural Policy, too, has outlined very specific and clear objectives
with a strong environmental component for the next mid-term period.
Ladies and gentlemen,
beekeeping is an important part of agriculture. Bees are invaluable. They are a pollinator of
many agricultural plants as well as an indicator of a healthy environment. We must be aware
that human pressures on the environment are negatively reflected on the life and vitality of
bees; moreover, they can even threaten the existence of bees in the natural world.
Slovenia is well aware of the importance of bees. Beekeeping in Slovenia has been placed
within the strategic framework of agriculture through systemic steps. Beekeeping subsidies
are development-oriented and reflected on several levels – from those enabled by the
common market organisation of the EU to subsidies funded from the national budget.
Especially important among the latter are the funding of the public advisory service in
beekeeping and the implementation of the breeding programme and professional tasks.
I wish to point out in particular that Slovenia is sensitive to the issue of plant protection
products and their adverse effect on bees. For this reason in 2011 it introduced a national
ban on neonicotinoids for the treatment of agricultural plant seeds.
The beekeeping tradition in Slovenia is enhanced by successful innovative projects, e.g. the
development of beekeeping tourism and apitherapy, activities that ultimately create new,
green jobs.
The European parliament, too, has devoted much attention to care for bees. By issuing the
Resolution on the situation in the beekeeping sector in 2010 and the Report on honeybee
health and challenges of the beekeeping sector in 2011, the European Parliament called
upon the European Commission to take urgent measures in the field of improvement of
beekeeping conditions. The Resolution of the European Parliament grants beekeeping a
strategic role in society, as the activity has a beneficial impact on the environment by
improving and conserving biodiversity, maintaining the ecological balance and conserving
flora.
For all these reasons, Slovenia strongly seeks to enhance the common care for bees in the
European area. We believe that it is of key importance to raise public awareness, especially
that of young people. In this field, we have an example of good practice that i would like to
present to the esteemed committee – this is the honey breakfast initiated by the Slovenian
Beekeepers' Association in 2006 as an education and promotion action in kindergartens and
schools.
Each year, the project is joined by new institutions from all branches of authority, other public
institutions and private companies.
On the basis of this good practice, Slovenia launched an initiative at the EU Agriculture and
Fisheries Council to introduce a European honey breakfast in March 2014. The initiative was
welcomed by several Member States as well as by the then Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr
Ciolos. Besides the EU Member States, interest in cooperation was expressed by the EU
candidate countries as well as third countries. I am particularly pleased that some countries
went ahead and launched the project in 2014, such as our neighbour Hungary, which carried
out the European honey breakfast in 67 primary schools on the same day as in Slovenia (the
second such breakfast being carried out at the present time).
We are particularly pleased that you, distinguished members of the European Parliament,
attended the honey breakfast provided by the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association and
Slovenian members of the European Parliament this morning, thus joining our initiative. The
event is not just a single meal in a day, week or year: it symbolises the concern for a healthy
lifestyle, the protection of nature and conservation of bees; it shows support to local
producers and encourages the integration of different stakeholders and promoters of
agriculture, safe food, health, education and culture.
Slovenia believes that good international cooperation may yield better results in the
protection of bees and development of beekeeping. Therefore the Slovenian Government, on
the initiative of the Beekeeper's Association of Slovenia, adopted a decision to file a proposal
with the UN to declare World Bee Day, celebrated on 20 May. This is the date of birth of a
pioneer of modern beekeeping, Anton Janša; moreover, the month of May symbolises
blossoming nature. The purpose of the initiative is to annually stress the importance of the
conservation of bees and to underline the fact that global food safety, too, depends on bees
and other pollinators.
Distinguished Members of the Committee,
Agriculture and rural development bear responsibility for maintaining the health of the
population. Food, the vital good that each person needs, is a product of nature, human
knowledge and conscientious management of both. A major part of global food production
depends on small, fragile creatures, on pollinators, on bees.
The Slovenian initiative for the United Nations to declare World Bee Day thus transcends the
frameworks and borders of the European Union.
Distinguished Members of the European Parliament,
I do believe that with your help, too, the initiative will contribute to an important enhancement
of international cooperation in tackling the global problems of environmental conservation
and eradication of famine.
I am grateful to have been able to present this initiative today, before this distinguished
committee. Hoping for your support, I sincerely thank you for this opportunity on behalf of the
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Dejan Židan.