European Beekeeping Congress 2026

PRESS KIT

Together we protected the future

Organized by UNAF and Abeille Gasconne

     

Download the press kit

351 Avenue du Midi - 47000 Agen

Agen Agora, a unique and atypical venue halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, and 3 hours from Paris by train.

With its Congress Center and Exhibition Park all in one location, we look forward to seeing you!

Come one, come all! Attend the 2026 European Beekeeping Congress

October 1-4, 2026

https://youtu.be/btqB-GBdvvo

Press release

The European Beekeeping Congress – Beecome – will be held from October 1st to 4th, 2026 at the Agen Exhibition Center. A leading event, Beecome has established itself as the essential meeting place for French and European beekeeping organizations, scientists, industry professionals, and the general public..

A program rich in conferences and exchanges

For four days, the congress will offer a packed program of lectures, round tables and discussion sessions, led by internationally renowned researchers and experts.

Between 6,000 and 8,000 visitors are expected, and 6,000 delegates.

The exhibition space, free and open to all, will offer the public the opportunity to discover the major players and innovations in the European beekeeping sector.

The spirit of the congress

Under the theme "Pollination, source of life", this congress highlights the essential role of bees in the balance of ecosystems and food security.

For four days, beekeepers, researchers, businesses, and passionate citizens will come together to share innovations, discuss environmental challenges, and build a sustainable and responsible beekeeping industry..

This event will also be a nature festival open to all: educational activities, a honey market, demonstrations and friendly gatherings around biodiversity.

Pollination, a source of life,

A key player in our biodiversity

Through this central theme, the congress will address all the issues related to the survival of bees and the sustainable development of beekeeping:

• Bee health (Varroa destructor, Aethina tumida,

  Asian hornet, etc.)

• The quality of the environment (plant protection products, nectar-producing resources)

• The beekeeping economy (honey market, value creation, traceability, labeling)

• Apitherapy and bee products

• Beekeeping in Europe

• The latest scientific discoveries

AGEN AGORA

A dynamic and innovative exhibition space

Beecome 2026 will host more than 150 exhibitors, representing all partners in the beekeeping sector:

Beekeeping equipment, transhumance, packaging, equipment demonstrations, trade, cosmetics, consulting, analysis laboratories, services and technological innovations.

A space dedicated to local producers, a gourmet market, a market for honeys and bee products and a honey bar will be open to the public.

The congress will also offer numerous festive and educational activities, accessible to the general public and particularly to young people:

Fun activities, exhibitions, conferences, discovery workshops, etc..

A European beekeeping congress with an environmental dimension

Organized atAgenIn the heart of the Southwest, Beecome 2026 will be an opportunity to showcase the richness of local heritage and regional products: tastings of hive products, farmers' markets, discovering the beekeeping profession, and highlighting local know-how..

A congress with a strong environmental focus
Beekeepers have always been environmental whistleblowers. Today, the bee is seriously threatened, many wild pollinators are disappearing, and biodiversity is declining..

The climate change, increasingly marked, directly impacts nectar resources and colony vitality, adding new challenges to an already weakened sector.

Saving the bees: a crucial issue for the future
Since the Second World War, the bee has suffered the negative effects of certainplant protection products, jeopardizing its survival, particularly in large-scale farming regions.

A valuable skill to pass on

Beekeeping requires a wide range of skills in biology, botany, geology, meteorology, as well as demanding technical and sanitary expertise. This valuable know-how constitutes a living heritage that is essential to preserve and pass on..

The essential role of bees in biodiversity and the economy
Today, bees ensure the pollination of nearly 80% of flowering plants, contributing to the preservation of more than 20,000 threatened plant species in Europe.

Pollination also represents a major economic issue for agriculture. Pollen analysis of honeys makes it possible to identify the plants foraged within a radius of approximately3 km radius around the beehives, offering a valuable indicator of the evolution of flora.

The bee, a revealer of major societal issues
The situation of bees challenges the whole of society and calls for collective mobilization around major issues:There preservation of biodiversity and the environment Le link between town and countryand the relationship between man and naturewell-being and healththanks to bee products

New Aquitaine and beekeepers

LThe Beekeeping Congress has a European focus with a truly international reputation.
However, it is clear that beekeepers in the geographical area near the congress venue constitute a predominant audience..
New Aquitaine holds a significant place in the landscape with approximately 7,000 beekeepers (all categories combined in beekeeping activity (production, pollination, etc.), owning approximately 20 to 1,000 hives.

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According to the same regional study, the region has approximately 182,400 bee colonies (hives) in production (2023 data).
In France, the total number of hives overwintered at the end of 2023 is estimated at around 1,850,000 hives declared to the DGAL.

Nouvelle Aquitaine therefore has about 9% to 10% of the national beekeeping stock (182,400 out of ~1,850,000 hives).
The region is in the top 3 of French regions in terms of declared beekeepers, often behind Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and Grand-Est but ahead of several regions (including PACA or Occitanie depending on the year).

According to some honey production estimates, the region is also among the largest producers of French honey, with regional production exceeding 4,000 tonnes in recent years (FranceAgriMer/ITSAP data), behind Auvergne Rhône-Alpes but at or above other major regions.

The gala evening

To conclude these three days of discussions, a gala evening will bring together exhibitors, local authorities, partners and sponsors.over a local meala true symbol of conviviality and sharing.

This evening will be enlivened by a 40-piece philharmonic orchestra, offering a festive and warm atmosphere, punctuated by dancing and singing.
This highlight will also be an opportunity to thank our benefactors and to celebrate three major anniversaries.:

Apicités' 10th anniversary, the 20th anniversary of the "Sentinel Bee of the Environment" program, and UNAF's 80th anniversary.
Objectives & Target Audiences :

• To foster exchanges between beekeepers, farmers, and researchers. To promote the protection of pollinators and biodiversity.
• To present the scientific and technical innovations of the beekeeping sector. To raise public awareness of the importance of bees.
• To highlight the ASE – Sentinel Bee of the Environment and Apicité programs.
• Target Audiences: beekeepers, NGOs, businesses, local authorities, institutions, and the general public.

Together let's protect the future

Target Audiences: beekeepers, NGOs, businesses, local authorities, institutions, and the general public.Each partnership directly contributes to the protection of bees and biodiversity. By becoming a sponsor, you participate in a collective movement that fosters hope and innovation. UNAF & L’Abeille Gasconne invite you to join this human and environmental adventure, so that pollination remains, more than ever, a source of life.