EU's Council, Parliament Strike Deal on New Honey, Jam, Juice Labeling Requirements

The European Council and Parliament on Jan. 30 reached a provisional agreement that could require new labeling requirements on honey and other food products. The deal, aimed at giving EU consumers more information on honey, fruit jams and fruit juices, would require honey producers to list the countries of origin on the product's label in descending order "based on weight" and include the "percentage that each country represents in the blend." For packages under 30 grams, the names of the countries of origin will be swapped with a two-letter International Organization for Standardization code. The provisional agreement needs to be approved by member states and undergo a legal review before it can be formally adopted, the council said.