Date of issue: 27 August 2026
Date of effect: 30 August 2026
Reference Number: MAA 2026-06
Attention
- Industries — Industry bodies — Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Australian Food and Grocery Council
- Honey establishments
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices
- Exporters and NEXDOC users
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) is to advise that the European Union (EU) will prohibit the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion or yield enhancement in animals for all imports entering the EU supply chain from 3 September 2026. Antimicrobials, which are substances that act on micro-organisms, must be used only for therapeutic purposes, for example, to treat a disease or medical condition.
Key points
From 30 August 2026, the EU honey, blended honey and edible beeswax health certificate for products for human consumption – eCert extract name EUH1EX – will include a new animal health attestation.
The attestation reads, in part, as follows:
… the bees from which the honey and other apiculture products are obtained have not been administered antimicrobial medicinal products for growth promotion or yield increase or antimicrobial medicinal products containing an antimicrobial that is included in the list of antimicrobials reserved for the treatment of certain infections in humans laid down in [a Commission Regulation] …
EUH1EX will be released on 30 August (before 3 September) as part of a routine NEXDOC system release.
To view the health certificate in its entirety, please see HON model set out in Chapter 45 of Annex III: EUR-Lex - 02020R2235-20260312 - EN - EUR-Lex. The EU does not publish these health certificates as stand-alone documents.
Export listed establishments and exporters do not need to do anything about this change to the certificate. The health certificates will continue to be issued via the EU Trade Control and Export System (TRACES-NT) as an eCert (through the department's Next Export Documentation (NEXDOC) system).
Contact exportstandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.