Mandatory Procedures for Domestic Honey Exported to the European Union and the United Kingdom

The European Union and the United Kingdom have listed the United States (U.S.) as a country eligible to export honey provided honey producers meet their program requirements.  Under these programs, domestic U.S. companies must adhere to specific requirements for each shipment destined to a European Union or United Kingdom member country. In general, these requirements include:

  1. USDA Plant Survey (pdf) at an acceptable level.
  1. Honey producers must have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan in place and pass a USDA HACCP Plan Verification Survey (pdf).
  1. Honey producers must follow the sampling and testing protocol with respect to the frequency of testing and the compounds that must be monitored.
  1. Honey must be certified by the USDA on a Health Certificate modeled after the current EU or UK Health Certificate.

For More Information:

Certification of Honey Exports and related inspection services are available on a fee for service basis from USDA’s Specialty Crops inspection Division.  For more information about Honey, please visit the National Honey Board’s web site.