Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs
Modified by
Commission Directive 2001/101/ECof 26 November 2001amending Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, 301L0101, November 28, 2001
Actconcerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded, 103T, September 23, 2003
Directive 2003/89/EC of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 10 November 2003amending Directive 2000/13/EC as regards indication of the ingredients present in foodstuffs(Text with EEA relevance), 303L0089, November 25, 2003
Council Directive 2006/107/ECof 20 November 2006adapting Directive 89/108/EEC relating to quick-frozen foodstuffs for human consumption and Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, by reason of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, 306L0107, December 20, 2006
Commission Directive 2006/142/ECof 22 December 2006amending Annex IIIa of Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council listing the ingredients which must under all circumstances appear on the labelling of foodstuffs(Text with EEA relevance), 306L0142, December 23, 2006
Commission Directive 2007/68/ECof 27 November 2007amending Annex IIIa to Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain food ingredients(Text with EEA relevance), 307L0068, November 28, 2007
Regulation (EC) No 1332/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 16 December 2008on food enzymes and amending Council Directive 83/417/EEC, Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, Directive 2000/13/EC, Council Directive 2001/112/EC and Regulation (EC) No 258/97(Text with EEA relevance), 308R1332, December 31, 2008
Corrected by
Corrigendum to Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, 300L0013R(01), May 25, 2000
Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 20 March 2000on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffsTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 thereof,Having regard to the proposal of the Commission,Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social CommitteeOJ C 258, 10.9.1999, p. 12.,Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the TreatyOpinion of the European Parliament of 18 January 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 13 March 2000.,Whereas:(1)Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffsOJ L 33, 8.2.1979, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/4/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 43, 14.2.1997, p. 21). has been frequently and substantially amendedSee Annex IV, Part B.. Therefore, for reasons of clarity and rationality, the said Directive should be consolidated in a single text.(2)Differences between the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States on the labelling of foodstuffs may impede the free circulation of these products and can lead to unequal conditions of competition.(3)Therefore, approximation of these laws would contribute to the smooth functioning of the internal market.(4)The purpose of this Directive should be to enact Community rules of a general nature applicable horizontally to all foodstuffs put on the market.(5)Rules of a specific nature which apply vertically only to particular foodstuffs should be laid down in provisions dealing with those products.(6)The prime consideration for any rules on the labelling of foodstuffs should be the need to inform and protect the consumer.(7)That need means that Member States may, in compliance with the rules of the Treaty, impose language requirements.(8)Detailed labelling, in particular giving the exact nature and characteristics of the product which enables the consumer to make his choice in full knowledge of the facts, is the most appropriate since it creates fewest obstacles to free trade.(9)Therefore, a list should be drawn up of all information which should in principle be included in the labelling of all foodstuffs.(10)However, the horizontal nature of this Directive does not allow, at the initial stage, the inclusion in the compulsory indications of all the indications which must be added to the list applying in principle to the whole range of foodstuffs. During a later stage, Community provisions should be adopted, aimed at supplementing the existing rules.(11)Furthermore, in the absence of Community rules of a specific nature Member States should retain the right to lay down certain national provisions which may be added to the general provisions of this Directive, nevertheless these provisions should be subject to a Community procedure.(12)The said Community procedure must be that of a Community decision when a Member State wishes to enact new legislation.(13)Provision should also be made for the Community legislator to derogate, in exceptional cases, from certain obligations that have been fixed generally.(14)The rules on labelling should also prohibit the use of information that would mislead the purchaser or attribute medicinal properties to foodstuffs. To be effective, this prohibition should also apply to the presentation and advertising of foodstuffs.(15)With a view to facilitating trade between Member States, it may be provided that, at stages prior to sale to the ultimate consumer, only information on the essential elements should appear on the outer packaging and certain mandatory particulars that must appear on a prepackaged foodstuff need appear only on commercial documents referring thereto.(16)Member States should retain the right, depending on local practical conditions and circumstances, to lay down rules in respect of the labelling of foodstuffs sold in bulk; in such cases, information should nevertheless be provided for the consumer.(17)With the aim of simplifying and accelerating the procedure, the Commission should be entrusted with the task of adopting implementing measures of a technical nature.(18)The measures necessary for the implementing of this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the CommissionOJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23..(19)This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States concerning the time limits for transposition of the Directives set out in Annex IV, Part B,HAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: