Food law

Over the last few years, the legislation at the European Union has come into force,  governing the production, labeling and control of foodstuff. It is therefore extremely important that businesses acting in food industry would be properly familiar with all important changes. Thus, food law experts at Rödl & Partner Lithuania are ready to provide tailor-made professional solutions to your businesses.

In 2021, specific legal acts were adopted in Lithuania, establishing new rules in the field of unfair trade practices for suppliers and buyers of food and agricultural products. The new regulation is important for any supplier who supplies food and agricultural products to retail chains, restaurants, other buyers (if the buyer's turnover exceeds 2 million Euros).

Food, items and materials which come into contact with the raw materials and finished foods, i.e. food contact materials (e.g. machines used in the manufacture of foods, food packaging, table water filters, items used for eating and drinking) and also animal feed are important economic goods.

In the meantime at international, European and national levels there are numerous legal and administrative regulations which govern the production, manufacture, sale and marketing of such products. In all member states of the European Union the company owners are legally bound within the means at their disposal and to a reasonable extent to comply with the applicable legal requirements. In order to avoid penalties and company liability and reduce associated risks, companies involved in the manufacture of food and animal feed must therefore ensure compliance with these standards through continual and expert review of internal rules and procedures.

Comprehensive international and interdisciplinary consulting  with legal representation for food and animal feed companies 

A team of specialised lawyers and scientist comprehensively advises and represents companies in the food industry across national borders on all questions which may arise during product development and the manufacture and distribution of the product.

The range of consulting services includes, for example, regulatory questions relating to the product including recommendations for the creation of compliance organisation in the food sector, also assistance with non-compliance procedures, competition law and industrial property protection. We also attach great importance to the interdisciplinary components of this field and as required fall back on our proven network of scientific experts in order to understand and assess complex technological and scientific issues and enable the results to flow into our legal consulting.

Wide range of consulting services for food law 

Our clients in the food sector have to observe numerous aspects and legal requirements starting with the first product idea including the development, manufacture and marketing of the product and as a result also have to make many varied strategic and entrepreneurial decisions. Rödl & Partner in Lithuania offers the following comprehensive expertise:

• Product classification and legal differentiation
• Marketability testing for EU member states and other countries
• Consulting for product safety and liability including assessment of liability risks
• Support for crisis management and communication (withdrawals, recalls, RASFF)
• Consulting for hygiene and quality management (e.g. HACCP system)
• Consulting for pesticides and contaminants
• Review and improvement of the product marking
• Consulting for product advertising (e.g. nutritional value and health-related requirements,  green claims, clean label)
• Approval procedures  (e.g. novel food, health claims, additives) and advertisement procedures (e.g. food supplements, enriched foodstuffs)
• Approval and registration of food and animal food companies
• Competition and antitrust law in the food sector (e.g. consulting for the prohibition of unfair business practices and restrictive agreements)
• Contract design (e.g. manufacturing, research, development and co-operation contracts, trade and distribution agreements, license agreements)
• Intellectual property (e.g. defence and enforcement of intellectual property rights such as marks and patents and protection against geographical indications of origin)
• Consulting in connection with legal questions concerning customs and EU trade law
• Regulatory offence procedures and assistance with proceedings in courts.