Petition · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Stop the importation of honey bees into GB from the EU via Northern Ireland
Closed
1,523 signatures
What the petition asks
We want the Government to close what we see as a loophole potentially allowing unchecked honey bee imports from NI into Great Britain. We believe full inspections, destination tracking, bee inspectors in NI, and prioritising local bee breeding are needed to help protect UK bee health.
Since Brexit, we believe honey bee imports via Northern Ireland have bypassed established biosecurity arrangements, risking the introduction of devastating pests like small hive beetle and tropilaelaps mites. Imports from countries such as Italy and Malta may now escape full checks. We believe this threatens UK beekeeping, native honey bees and ecosystems. We think action is needed to prevent potentially serious pest outbreaks.
Timeline
| 27 May 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 27 Nov 2025 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,523
Status
Closed
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Opened
27 May 2025
Closed
27 Nov 2025
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.