KEY POINTS
Both domesticated and wild bees play a crucial role as pollinators in preserving the natural ecosystem's equilibrium, while at the same time facilitating the economic growth of the agricultural sector. The significant decline in Europe's bee population that has been observed in the last two decades can cause not only an environmental catastrophe but also economic instability negatively impacting both the people that are being employed in the agricultural industry and the economy as a whole. This gloomy scenario prompted the European Union to take action and to try to combat this decline by using a number of different strategies such as restricting the use of certain types of pesticides that are proven to be harmful to bees. Nevertheless, there is still much work to be done in order for this issue to be completely eradicated. This policy brief suggests:
- Promoting alternative methods to combat pest infestation.
- Enacting a gradual ban on all pesticides that are proven to be harmful to bees.
- Conducting further research on bee friendly pesticides and on the different species of wild bees.
- Amending the existing EU legislation on pesticides in order to take into consideration new scientific knowledge about active substances.
- Developing groundbreaking bee drugs, that can combat bee pathogens and viruses more effectively and a new species of bee through crossbreeding, that is more resilient to these pathogens and viruses.
- Offering financial support to the beekeepers of the European Union.
- Creating a series of campaigns to raise public awareness about this alarming issue.