The European Union has officially approved Kazakhstan as a honey-exporting country. This significant achievement is the result of the coordinated efforts of the Committee for Veterinary Control and Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Brussels, and the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission (DG SANTE). This approval opens up new opportunities for Kazakhstani products in one of the world's largest and most competitive markets, DKnews.kz reports.
The European Commission has published Regulation (EU) 2025/354, amending Regulation (EU) 2021/405 regarding the lists of third countries authorized to export certain types of fishery products to the Union. According to Annex I of the Regulation, Kazakhstan has been included in the list of third countries or regions with approved control plans for certain animals used in food production and animal products intended for human consumption.
Thus, point 11 of the Regulation confirms that Kazakhstan has provided all the necessary guarantees, and as a result, its plan has been approved. Kazakhstan is now listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2021/405 with an “X” mark for “honey”, opening new horizons for Kazakhstani exports to the European Union market. It should be noted that the Regulation enters into force on the twentieth day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This decision is an important step in expanding trade relations between Kazakhstan and the EU, enabling the continuation of the approval process for a range of Kazakhstani agricultural products, such as aquaculture, meat and others. The development of foreign trade remains a priority for Kazakhstan, and the expansion of the range of goods exported to the EU market will contribute to strengthening commercial ties between Kazakhstani businesses and European importers.
It is worth noting that, thanks to targeted efforts, access to the European Union market had already been granted to Kazakhstani fishery products earlier.
The promotion of Kazakhstani exports remains a key focus of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Brussels, as the regulation of the EU member states' common trade policy is regulated by EU institutions.
According to data from the European Commission, the EU can only meet 63% of its own honey demand. At the same time, the EU remains the world's second-largest honey producer after China, with a production volume of 286,000 tons. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the top three honey producers are: China (474,000 tons, 26%), EU (286,000 tons, 16%), Turkey (118,000 tons, 6%). According to Kazakhstani statistical data, the country's honey production in 2023 amounted to 3.9 thousand tons. Of this, 228 tons were exported to China, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
