Bee medications and vets -- EU regulation

Last December, I wrote about the European plans to make bee treatments only available through vets. The UK consultation has been completed and although no decisions have yet been taken the situation now looks brighter. They had lots of comments about bees, so the authorities received a clear message.

In the UK, there will be no changes in the current system until at least 1 January 2007. But, more importantly, the European Commission is drawing up an exemptions list -- and the UK is pushing for bees to be on that list. Nothing is definite yet, but the future does look brighter than in December last. I haven't yet heard reports from any other EU countries.

(The original plan was to make bee medications available only through vets -- potentially disastrous because prices would probably rise, treatments become less accessible distributed by those knowing little about bees, and ultimately encourage non-treatment, quack cures and possible honey contamination.)