The functions and duties of the European Union Reference Laboratory (EU RL) for Bee Health are described in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 415/2013 of 6^th. May 2013. The Commission Regulation (EU) No 415/2013 lays down additional responsibilities and tasks for that laboratory.

In addition to the general functions and duties of EU reference laboratories in the animal health sector pursuant to Article 32(2) of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004, the EU reference laboratory for Bee Health shall have additional responsibilities and tasks.

The EURL for Bee Health works on an extensive number of scientific subjects related to honeybee health including mainly 3 bacteria (2 main pathogens, Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, and one secondary Paenibacillus alvei), 3 species of exotic parasites (2 Tropilaelaps mite species and one coleopteran, Aethina tumida), 4 parasites (the Varroa destructor mite, Acarapis woodi and 2 species of fungi, Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae) and 5 viruses (CBPV, ABPV, SBV, DWV, BQCV). The EU RL for Bee Health also aims at working on plant protection products by developing and validating assays for measuring insecticide residues.

In addition, one of the priority missions of the EURL for Bee Health is to scientifically coordinate and organise the pan-European epidemiological study on honeybee colony losses “EPILOBEE” run by the European Commission (EC).

This European reference mandate is the 9^th one assigned to ANSES out of the ten that the European Commission has entrusted to France. The Agency holds a total of 80 national, European and international reference mandates. The Sophia-Antipolis laboratory also holds several other reference mandates, including those as National Reference Laboratory (NRL) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Reference Laboratory for bee diseases and NRL for Q fever. Its research topics include bee infections and their mode of transmission and honey contaminants.

The Sophia-Antipolis laboratory of ANSES was officially appointed as European Union Reference Laboratory for Bee Health as per the publication in the official EU Gazette dated 2 February 2011.

EU Regulation concerning the mandate:

2013_COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 415/2013-of 6 May 2013 laying down additional responsibilities and tasks for the EU reference laboratories