{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2011-91/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2011-91/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudr/2011/91",
  "legislation_title": "Directive 2011/91/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs (codification) (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2011-91",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Directive 2011/91/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council\nof 13 December 2011\non indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs\n(codification)\n(Text with EEA relevance)\nTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114 thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the European Commission,\nAfter transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee,\nActing in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nCouncil Directive 89/396/EEC of 14 June 1989 on indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs has been substantially amended several times. In the interests of clarity and rationality that Directive should be codified.\n(2)\nThe internal market comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured.\n(3)\nTrade in foodstuffs occupies a very important place in the internal market.\n(4)\nIndication of the lot to which a foodstuff belongs meets the need for better information on the identity of products. It is therefore a useful source of information when foodstuffs are the subject of dispute or constitute a health hazard for consumers.\n(5)\nDirective 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 contains no provisions on indication of lot identification.\n(6)\nAt international level there is a general obligation to provide a reference to the manufacturing or packaging lot of prepackaged foodstuffs. It is the duty of the Union to contribute to the development of international trade.\n(7)\nIt is therefore advisable to provide for rules of a general and horizontal nature in order to manage a common lot identification system.\n(8)\nThe efficiency of that system depends on its application at the various marketing stages. It is nevertheless desirable to exclude certain products and operations, in particular those taking place at the start of the distribution network for agricultural products.\n(9)\nIt is necessary to take account of the fact that the immediate consumption upon purchase of certain foodstuffs such as ice cream in individual portions means that indicating the lot directly on the individual packaging would serve no useful purpose. However, it should be compulsory in the case of those products to indicate the lot on the combined package.\n(10)\nThe concept of a lot implies that several sales units of a foodstuff have almost identical production, manufacture or packaging characteristics. That concept should, therefore, not apply to bulk products or products which, owing to their individual specificity or heterogeneous nature, cannot be considered as forming a homogeneous batch.\n(11)\nIn view of the variety of identification methods used, it should be up to the trader to determine the lot and to affix the corresponding indication or mark.\n(12)\nIn order to satisfy the information requirements for which it is intended, that indication should be clearly distinguishable and recognisable as such.\n(13)\nThe date of minimum durability or ‘use by’ date, may, in conformity with Directive 2000/13/EC, serve as the lot identification, provided it is indicated precisely.\n(14)\nThis Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time limits for transposition into national law of the Directives set out in Annex I, Part B,\nHAVE ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ C 54, 19.2.2011, p. 34."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Position of the European Parliament of 11 May 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 8 November 2011."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 21."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "See Annex I, Part A."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2011/91/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:21:58.696002+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}