Publication:
Latvijas Vēstnesis
, 60/61,
06.03.1998.; Latvijas Republikas
Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta
Ziņotājs, 7, 02.04.1998.
Issuer: 
Saeima
Type: 
law
Adoption: 
19.02.1998.
Entry into force: 
20.03.1998.
Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State 
Language Centre) with amending laws of:
13 December 2001 [shall 
come into force on 1 January 2002];
12 September 2002 [shall come into force on 16 October 
2002];
6 November 2003 [shall come into force on 10 December 
2003];
21 October 2004 [shall come into force on 24 November 
2004];
17 November 2005 [shall come into force on 21 December 
2005];
15 December 2005 [shall come into force on 21 December 
2005];
19 December 2006 [shall come into force on 1 January 
2007];
27 September 2007 [shall come into force on 5 October 
2007];
6 December 2007 [shall come into force on 20 December 
2007];
24 January 2008 [shall come into force on 26 February 
2008];
12 June 2009 [shall come into force on 1 July 
2009];
12 November 2009 [shall come into force on 15 December 
2009];
1 December 2009 [shall come into force on 1 January 
2010];
20 May 2010 [shall come into force on 23 June 
2010];
28 October 2010 [shall come into force on 24 November 
2010];
13 September 2012 [shall come into force on 12 October 
2012];
23 October 2014 [shall come into force on 26 November 
2014];
27 April 2017 [shall come into force on 24 May 
2017];
25 October 2018 [shall come into force on 28 November 
2018];
21 November 2019 [shall come into force on 14 December 
2019];
7 May 2020 [shall come into force on 3 June 2020].
If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the 
date of the amending law appears in square brackets at 
the end
of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or 
clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears 
in square
brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph 
or clause.
The 
Saeima
1
 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following Law:
Law on the 
Supervision of the Handling of Food
Chapter I
General Provisions
Section 1. The terms used in this 
Law are as follows:
1) [17 November 2005];
2) [13 December 2001];
3) 
quality
 - the set of characteristics that ensures 
the conformity of food with the needs of consumers and the
specific requirements of the laws and regulations;
4) 
safe food
 - food which in normal or foreseeable 
conditions of its use does not cause harm to human health, life,
or the environment;
5) [17 November 2005];
6) 
handling of food
 - all operations with food from the 
acquisition thereof to consumption (primary production,
acquisition, pre-treatment, treatment, processing, manufacturing, 
packaging, storage, distribution, transport,
movement across the 
State border, wholesale trade, and retail trade);
7) [17 November 2005];
1
/
198) 
food additive
 - a substance which, irrespective of 
its nutritional value, is not normally used as nutrition by 
itself
as a food or as a characteristic component of nutrition, 
but is deliberately added to food during the process of
treatment, processing, manufacturing, packaging, storage, or 
transportation, and then the substance mentioned or its
by-products become a component of the food product;
9) 
food establishment
 - a person who is involved in any 
of the stages of the handling of food;
10) [17 November 2005];
11) [17 November 2005];
12) [17 November 2005];
13) [17 November 2005];
14) [28 October 2010];
15) 
third countries
 - countries which are not Member 
States of the European Union or countries of the European
Economic Area;
16) [17 November 2005];
17) [17 November 2005];
18) 
labelling of food
 - information (name, text, 
indication, trademark, logo, image, or symbol) which refers to a
food product and is indicated on the packaging, the accompanying 
documents, labels or stickers, or holders;
19) 
domestic market
 - selling of products manufactured 
in Latvia for consumption in Latvia;
20) [17 November 2005];
21) [17 November 2005];
22) 
materials and articles intended to come into contact 
with food
 - materials and articles that have come into
contact with food and are intended to come into contact with 
food, and there is reason to believe that they will come
into 
contact with food or will transfer their constituents to food 
under normal or foreseeable conditions of use;
23) 
novel foods
 - food products and ingredients of food 
products which conform to the categories specified in
Article 
3(2) of Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and 
of the Council of 25 November 2015 on
novel foods, amending 
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of 
the Council and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation 
(EC) No
1852/2001.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 24 January
2008; 20 May 2010; 28 
October 2010; 27 April 2017 /
 
The new wording of Clause 23 
shall come into force on 1
January 2018.
 
See Paragraph 25 
of the Transitional Provisions
]
Chapter 
II
Purpose and Scope of this Law
Section 2.
 The purpose of this Law is to ensure 
handling the food which is qualitative and safe to human health,
life, and the environment, eliminating the risks, promoting the 
trade, and protecting the interests of consumers.
Section 3.
 (1) This Law prescribes the national 
competence issues with regard to the handling of all forms of 
food
and any food establishment and natural person involved in 
it. Issues regarding the handling of food and its monitoring
which are not governed by this Law shall be governed by 
regulations of the European Union: Regulation (EC) No
178/2002 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 January 2002 
laying down the general principles and
requirements of food law, 
establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down 
procedures in matters of
food safety (hereinafter - Regulation No 
178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council); 
Regulation (EC) No
852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs; Regulation 
(EC)
No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for
food of 
animal origin (hereinafter - Regulation No 853/2004 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council); Regulation
(EU) 2017/625 
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on 
official controls and other official
activities performed to 
ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal 
health and welfare, plant health
and plant protection products, 
amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 
1069/2009, (EC)
No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 
652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European 
Parliament
and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 
and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC,
1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and 
repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No
2
/
19882/2004 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 
89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC,
91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 
96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official 
Controls Regulation)
(hereinafter - Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls), 
and other
legal acts of direct applicability.
(2) If international agreements ratified by the 
Saeima
 
provide for provisions which differ from those in this Law, the
provisions of the international agreements shall prevail.
[
27 November 2005; 23 October 2014; 21 November 
2019
]
Chapter 
III
Food and the Handling Thereof
Section 4.
 (1) In Latvia, only the handling of food 
which complies with quality and mandatory safety requirements
is 
permitted.
(2) The mandatory safety requirements the conformity with 
which ensures safety of food products, handling of
food, or the 
service related thereto to human health, life, or the environment 
shall be determined by the Cabinet.
(3) The Cabinet may stipulate special requirements for food 
which is intended for separate consumer groups.
(4) For separate groups of food products, the Cabinet shall 
determine quality and classification requirements, and
also the 
procedures for assessing the conformity of the relevant products 
with such requirements.
(5) [17 November 2005]
(6) [23 October 2014]
(7) [21 October 2004]
(8) Food which contains genetically modified organisms or is 
manufactured from them may be distributed in Latvia
only after 
obtaining the relevant permits in accordance with the procedures 
laid down in laws and regulations.
(9) [17 November 2005]
(10) [28 October 2010]
(10
1
) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by 
which:
1) a permit for distribution of natural mineral water in the 
market shall be issued and cancelled;
2) food supplements shall be registered, the handling thereof 
shall be suspended or restricted, and the registration
thereof 
shall be cancelled;
3) notify of the distribution of food products belonging to 
specific groups, register them, and cancel registration.
(11) The operation of the rapid alert system which is 
coordinated and organised exchange of information and action
of 
persons and competent authorities involved in the handling of 
food in cases when there is a direct or indirect risk
caused by 
food to human health and life shall be determined by the 
Cabinet.
(12) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements for food 
quality schemes, and also the procedures for the
implementation, 
operation, monitoring, and control thereof.
(13) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for training 
and raising of qualification of classifiers of animal
carcasses, 
and also for the issuance and cancellation of a certificate 
proving the qualification of the classifier.
(14) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for 
recognising and monitoring laboratories that carry out
laboratory 
tests of raw milk quality.
(15) A State fee shall be paid for the registration of an 
application for the designation of a protected geographical
origin, name of a protected place of origin, traditional 
speciality guaranteed, for the issuance of a notice of an
opposition decision and for the registration of an amendment to 
the specification. The amount of the State fee and the
payment 
procedures shall be determined by the Cabinet.
(16) [13 September 2012 / See Paragraph 20 of Transitional 
Provisions]
(17) The Cabinet shall determine the maximum permitted amount 
of trans fats in food products.
(18) The Cabinet shall determine the plants and parts of 
plants prohibited for human consumption.
3
/
19(19) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements in the field 
of the handling of food in Latvia in accordance with
the directly 
applicable legal acts of the European Union in the field of the 
handling of food.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 15 December
2005; 19 December 
2006; 24 January 2008; 12 November 2009; 20 May 2010; 28 October 
2010; 13 September 2012;
23 November 2014; 27 April 2017; 25 
October 2018; 21 November 2019 /
 
Amendment regarding the 
deletion of
Paragraph three shall come into force on 1 January 
2023 and shall be included in the wording of the Law as of 1
January 2023.
 
See Paragraph 26 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 5.
 (1) A food establishment is involved in the 
handling of food if it has been approved or registered.
(2) Approval of a food establishment is required if it has 
been specified in Regulation No 853/2004 of the European
Parliament and of the Council. A food establishment shall be 
approved, the approval number shall be granted, and the
approval 
certificate upon request of the establishment shall be issued by 
the Food and Veterinary Service.
(3) A food establishment the approval of which is not 
necessary may engage in the handling of food if it is
registered 
with the Food and Veterinary Service. Upon request of the food 
establishment the Food and Veterinary
Service shall issue a 
registration certificate.
(4) The procedures for approving food establishments or 
registering them shall be determined by the Cabinet.
(5) [25 October 2018]
(6) [17 November 2005]
(7) [6 December 2007]
(8) [17 November 2005]
[
12 September 2002; 21 October 2004; 17 November 2005; 6 
December 2007; 12 November 2009; 20 May 2010;
23 October 2014; 25 
October 2018
]
Section 6.
[13 December 2001]
Section 7.
 (1) A food establishment shall, in its 
operation, be responsible for the quality and safety of food, and
also for the conformity of the food to be distributed with the 
requirements laid down in laws and regulations and
declared by 
the establishment.
(2) A person who has become engaged in one of the stages of 
the handling of food shall be responsible for the
fulfilment of 
all the requirements of the laws and regulations governing the 
handling of food.
(3) In its operation , a food establishment may follow the 
Guidelines on Good Hygiene Practices which are
developed by the 
professional associations and foundations of the food industry in 
consultation with representatives of
consumer groups and 
competent State authorities. The Guidelines on Good Hygiene 
Practices shall be coordinated
with the Food and Veterinary 
Service.
(4) [17 November 2005]
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005
]
Section 8.
 (1) A food establishment has an obligation 
to perform self-monitoring and to eliminate any activity or
process which may have an adverse effect on the food safety. The 
food establishment shall, without delay, inform the
relevant 
territorial unit of the Food and Veterinary Service of 
non-conforming results of the indicators of food safety
and the 
measures implemented for the elimination of non-conformities.
(2) [17 November 2005]
(3) Persons involved in the handling of food must comply with 
the hygiene requirements for personnel laid down in
laws and 
regulations.
(4) [17 November 2005]
(5) The manager of a food establishment shall be responsible 
for the professional qualification of the persons
employed in the 
handling of food in his or her establishment. The Cabinet shall 
determine the procedures by which
persons involved in handling of 
food shall be trained in the field of food hygiene, and also the 
requirements with regard
to the training programme and 
certificate.
(6) [6 November 2003]
(7) Food establishments must conform to a documented packet of 
measures which ensures the conformity of 
4
/
19(7) Food establishments must conform to a documented packet of 
measures which ensures the conformity of
hygiene and 
manufacturing with the quality requirements stipulated by the 
manufacturer.
(8) A food establishment shall provide the necessary support 
and ensure that the Food and Veterinary Service can
carry out its 
control in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and 
regulations.
(9) A food establishment has the right to request that the 
inspector of the Food and Veterinary Service takes a
parallel 
sample of the objects referred to in Section 23, Clauses 2 and 4 
of this Law for carrying out an independent
testing of this 
sample. The parallel sample shall be tested in an accredited 
laboratory with an equivalent method which
is used for testing 
the sample taken within the framework of control in accordance 
with the laws and regulations
governing the handling of food.
(10) The hygiene requirements for primary production and for 
direct supply of products of primary production in
small amounts 
to the final consumer or to a retail trade establishment which 
directly supplies the final consumer, and
also the volume of the 
abovementioned supply shall be determined by the Cabinet.
(11) [12 November 2009]
(12) The procedures for issuing, suspending, and restoring a 
permit for the sale of primary products shall be
determined by 
the Cabinet.
(13) A food establishments has an obligation to provide the 
Food and Veterinary Service with information which, in
accordance 
with the directly applicable legal acts of the European Union in 
the field of the handling of food, must be
provided to the 
European Union institutions.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 12 November
2009; 23 October 
2014; 21 November 2019
]
Section 9.
[17 November 2005]
Section 9.
1
 A person shall ensure that the 
food which he grows and uses for private domestic consumption, 
hands
over to family members and persons with whom he shares the 
household, and also to other persons within the
household, 
conforms to the safety requirements in accordance with the laws 
and regulations in the field of the
handling of food.
[
23 October 2014
]
Section 10.
 (1) The Cabinet with regard to the 
materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, 
shall
determine:
1) the mandatory safety requirements;
2) the procedures by which their distribution and use shall be 
suspended, and also the procedures for further use
and 
destruction in case of violation of laws and regulations;
3) the procedures for registering production, processing, and 
distribution establishments, for suspending and
restoring their 
operation, and also for cancelling their registration.
(2) The premises to be used in the handling of food and other 
areas in buildings or means of transport, and also
ancillary 
premises which are necessary to ensure personnel hygiene must 
conform to the hygiene requirements for
food establishments laid 
down in laws and regulations.
(3) Contaminants, including pesticide residues, in food shall 
not exceed the maximum allowed norms laid down in
the directly 
applicable legal acts of the European Union. The Cabinet shall 
determine the procedures for taking and
preparing samples and 
evaluating test results for the control of pesticide residues in 
products of plant and animal
origin.
(4) [12 November 2009]
(5) [12 November 2009]
(6) A food establishment shall submit an application for the 
production of a new food additive, flavouring, or
enzyme to the 
Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment "BIOR" or 
send to the European Commission
in accordance with the 
requirements laid down in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 
1331/2008 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 16 
December 2008 establishing a common authorisation procedure for 
food additives,
food enzymes and food flavourings, and in 
Commission Regulation (EU) No 234/2011 of 10 March 2011 
implementing
Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a common authorisation
procedure for food additives, food enzymes and food flavouring, 
as well as in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No
2065/2003 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 10 November 2003 on 
smoke flavourings used or
5
/
19intended for use in or on foods.
[
12 September 2002; 17 November 2005; 19 December 2006; 12 
November 2009; 28 October 2010; 23 October
2014
]
Section 11.
 Drinking water, and also water which is 
used in the handling of food or for the washing of stock and
equipment related to food, and also ice which is used in direct 
cooling must conform to the requirements of laws and
regulations, 
except for treatment of fresh fish on the open sea where purified 
sea water may also be used in
technological processes of the 
handling of food.
[
12 September 2002; 17 November 2005
]
Section 11.
1
 The Cabinet shall determine the 
procedures for distributing iodised salt and the cases when it is 
used
in food production.
[
6 November 2003
]
Section 11.
2
 (1) If the minimum durability 
date has expired for food which has been labelled with "Best 
before...",
it may not be distributed, except when distribution 
takes place in accordance with Cabinet regulations.
(2) The Cabinet shall determine the groups of products, the 
type of and procedures for distribution, and also the
time period 
in which food labelled with "Best before..." is allowed to be 
distributed after expiry of the minimum
durability date.
[
25 October 2018 /
 
This Section shall come into 
force on 1 July 2019.
 
See Paragraph 29 of the Transitional
Provisions
]
Section 12.
 It is prohibited to use radiation 
sterilisation in the handling of food, except for cases when its 
use is
provided for in Cabinet regulations.
Section 12.
1
 The content of acetic acid in 
acetic acid solution used in food and to be distributed in retail 
trade
shall not exceed 10 per cent by weight.
[
21 November 2019
]
Section 13.
 (1) The information provided as well as 
advertising on a label may not be misleading and may not
attribute such qualities to food products as they do not 
possess.
(2) A food establishment which has manufactured or 
pre-packaged food, or a distributor of food, if they have
changed 
the original pre-packaging or labelling or have attached a new 
label, shall be responsible for the conformity of
the labelling 
with the actual indicators and pre-packaged contents.
(3) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements:
1) for the labelling of pre-packaged food;
2) for the provision of information regarding non-prepackaged 
food;
3) for additional labelling of food products.
(4) [20 May 2010]
(5) Within the meaning of Paragraph 19 of Annex V to 
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament
and of 
the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food 
information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC)
No 1924/2006 
and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council, and repealing Commission
Directive 87/250/EEC, Council 
Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 
2000/13/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council, 
Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission
Regulation (EC) No 608/2004, home-produced and distributed food 
shall be considered small quantity of food products
which is not 
subject to the requirement regarding mandatory provision of 
nutrition information.
[
6 December 2007; 20 May 2010; 23 October 2014; 27 April 
2017
]
Chapter 
IV
Food Unfit for Distribution
Section 14.
 The State chief food and veterinary 
inspector, the State senior inspector, the State inspector of the
Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - the officials of the 
Food and Veterinary Service), the producer, or the
distributor 
shall recognise food as unfit for distribution if:
6
/
191) it does not conform to the mandatory safety 
requirements;
2) its expiry date has passed;
3) it has not been labelled in conformity with the 
requirements of laws and regulations;
4) in tests, based upon evidence, its spoilage has been 
determined, and also the worsening of the organoleptic
characteristics of the food detectable by human sensory 
organs;
5) it is falsified or the consumer is being misled;
6) it does not have the accompanying documents laid down in 
laws and regulations;
7) it is provided for in other laws and regulations.
[
13 December 2001; 12 November 2009; 27 April 2017; 25 
October 2018
]
Section 15.
 (1) The Cabinet shall approve regulations 
on the procedures for further use or destruction of food unfit
for distribution.
(2) The distributor of the food shall cover the costs which 
are related to the recall, processing, or destruction of
unfit 
food. In such case, he shall also cover costs relating to State 
supervision and control.
[
13 December 2001
]
Chapter V
State Supervision and Control of the Handling of Food
Section 16.
[13 September 2012]
Section 17.
[13 December 2001]
Section 18.
[13 September 2012]
Section 19.
 (1) The Ministry of Health shall develop 
and coordinate the nutrition policy, prepare proposals for
optimisation of the nutrition policy, analyse the results of the 
monitoring of the diseases caused by nutrition, and also
organise 
the preparation of scientifically substantiated proposals for 
solving nutrition problems and inform the public of
current 
issues related to nutrition.
(2) The Minister for Health shall establish an advisory 
nutrition council for the development and coordination of the
nutrition policy which shall operate in accordance with the 
by-laws approved by the Cabinet.
(3) The Minster for Health shall approve the recommended food 
ration and healthy nutrition recommendations for
the inhabitants 
of Latvia.
(3
1
) The Cabinet shall approve the food ration for 
educatees of general basic education, general secondary
education, and vocational education institutions, and also of 
educational institutions implementing pre-school
educational 
programmes, for clients of long-term social care and social 
rehabilitation institutions, and for patients of
medical 
treatment institutions.
(4) The Health Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health shall 
control the fulfilment of the drinking water safety
requirements 
in public drinking water supply facilities from the water intake 
to the consumer. In case of threat to
consumer health the Health 
Inspectorate has the right to restrict or prohibit the use of 
drinking water.
(5) The Cabinet shall determine procedures for monitoring and 
control of drinking water.
(6) The authority stipulated by the Cabinet may, in accordance 
with the procedures stipulated by the
Cabinet,determine reduced 
safety or quality requirements for drinking water for a specific 
time period which in a given
geographical area is supplied to the 
inhabitants through water supply systems, if these requirements 
do not pose a
threat to consumer health and the drinking water 
cannot be supplied in another way.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 15 December
2005; 27 September 
2007; 12 November 2009; 20 May 2010; 28 October 2010
]
7
/
19Section 20.
 (1) [17 November 2005]
(2) A State fee shall be paid for the registration of food 
supplements, food products belonging to specific groups
referred 
to in Regulation (EU) No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and 
of the Council of 12 June 2013 on food
intended for infants and 
young children, food for special medical purposes, and total diet 
replacement for weight
control and repealing Council Directive 
92/52/EEC, Commission Directives 96/8/EC, 1999/21/EC, 2006/125/EC 
and
2006/141/EC, Directive 2009/39/EC of the European Parliament 
and of the Council and Commission Regulations (EC)
No 41/2009 and 
(EC) No 953/2009 (Text with EEA relevance) (hereinafter - 
Regulation No 609/2013 of the European
Parliament and of the 
Council) and for the issuance of a permit for the distribution of 
natural mineral water on the
market. The amount of the State fee 
and the payment procedures shall be determined by the 
Cabinet.
(3) [27 April 2017 / See Paragraph 25 of the Transitional 
Provisions]
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 15 December
2005; 12 November 
2009; 28 October 2010; 27 April 2017; 25 October 2018 /
 
Amendment to Paragraph two shall
come into force on 1 January 
2019 and shall be included in the wording of the Law as on 1 
January 2019.
 
See
Paragraphs 26.
1
 and 
26.
2
 of the Transitional Provisions
]
Section 21.
 (1) The Food and Veterinary Service shall 
organise and implement the supervision and control of the
handling of food in accordance with Regulation No 2017/625 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council on official
controls and 
also shall be the competent authority in the fields specified in 
Article 1(2)(a), (i), and (j) of Regulation No
2017/625 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council on official controls.
(2) The Food and Veterinary Service shall have the following 
functions:
1) in the handling of food:
a) to supervise and control at all stages of the handling of 
food, the conformity of food products (except non-
packaged 
drinking water that is supplied to inhabitants by water supply 
systems) with the requirements laid down in
laws and 
regulations;
b) to approve and register the operation of food 
establishments in accordance with the procedures laid down in
laws and regulations, and also to cancel their approval and 
registration;
c) at all stages of the handling of food, to supervise and 
control the operation of food establishments and the
conformity 
of the processes of handling of food with the requirements laid 
down in laws and regulations;
d) at all stages of the handling of food, to perform risk 
factor research and analysis;
2) in border control of goods - to supervise and control food 
and also the materials and articles intended for coming
into 
contact with food at border control points, in free zones, and 
customs warehouses in accordance with the
procedures laid down in 
the laws and regulations in the field of the handling of 
food;
3) [1 December 2009];
4) in organic farming:
a) to recognise, monitor, and control authorities that inspect 
the activities of persons involved in organic farming,
and the 
production manufactured by such persons;
b) to establish and maintain a list of the persons involved in 
organic farming;
c) [27 April 2017];
d) to confirm an extract from the certificate of the 
inspection in case of splitting of the consignment of imported
products;
5) upon request of the competent State authority or upon 
request of a food establishment that exports food or
animal feed, 
confirm the conformity in its fields of competence;
6) in the food product State interventions:
a) to control the conformity of the food products purchased by 
the intervention of the State with the mandatory
quality and 
safety requirements,
b) to perform supervision of intervention warehouses in 
conformity with the requirements of laws and regulations;
7) within the scope of its competence to ensure cooperation 
with international organisations, and also the operation
of 
international food control systems. For the purpose of risk 
factor analysis and risk reduction to ascertain food
producers 
and distributors who do not conform to the mandatory safety 
requirements;
8
/
198) to supervise and control the protection of geographical 
indications and names of the place of origin, and also of
traditional specialties;
9) to perform veterinary supervision and control in accordance 
with laws and regulations;
10) to determine provisional measures for risk management in 
order to reduce threat until the scientific evaluation
of risk 
and development of risk management measures if a possible threat 
to human or animal health has been
established and risk analysis 
has not been performed;
10
1
) to assess the conformity of food supplements 
and food products belonging to the specific groups referred to
in 
Regulation No 609/2013 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council with the applicable requirements;
11) to perform other functions laid down in laws and 
regulations;
12) by engaging in the European Union rapid alert system, to 
perform investigation of risk factors and to achieve
risk 
reduction, by preventing the distribution in Latvia of food that 
does not conform to the mandatory safety
requirements and poses 
threat to human health or life;
13) to supervise and control the conformity with the 
requirements in the field of handling of food laid down in the
legal acts of the European Union, and also to provide the 
necessary information to the European Union institutions;
14) to create, update, and maintain registers and data bases 
of objects and products under supervision;
14
1
) [20 May 2010];
15) [12 November 2009];
16) in the field of supervision of the food quality 
schemes:
a) to monitor and control the activities of the persons who 
participate in the national food quality scheme;
b) to create, maintain, and update the list of operators, 
suppliers of raw materials involved in the national food
quality 
scheme and products of the national food quality scheme;
17) to recognise and monitor the laboratories that carry out 
laboratory tests of raw milk quality;
18) to monitor and control the production, processing, and 
distribution process of the materials and articles that are
intended to come into contact with food;
19) [23 October 2014];
20) to supervise and control the fulfilment of such contracts 
for the supply of food products and for catering
services which 
have been entered into in relation to the green public 
procurement;
21) to supervise and control the operation of a market manager 
in accordance with the procedures laid down in
laws and 
regulations;
22) to determine and supervise the laboratories of food 
establishments in which, upon the implementation of the
supervision and control of the handling of food, the presence of 
Trichinella
 in meat is checked and which conform to
the 
requirements laid down in Article 40(1)(a) of Regulation No 
2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the
Council on 
official controls;
23) to perform the functions of the structure specified in 
Article 109(2) of Regulation No 2017/625 of the European
Parliament and of the Council on official controls in relation to 
the preparation and submission of the multi-annual
national 
control plans to the European Commission;
24) to perform the functions of the liaison body specified in 
Article 103 of Regulation No 2017/625 of the European
Parliament 
and of the Council.
(3) The Food and Veterinary Service shall perform State 
supervision and control of the handling of food according
to the 
annual State supervision and control programmes, taking into 
account the appropriations allocated by the Law
on the State 
Budget for the current year.
(4) The Cabinet shall determine the requirements and the 
procedures for border control for such food to be
imported from 
the third countries and materials and articles intended for 
coming into contact with food to which official
border control is 
not applied in accordance with that specified in Article 44 of 
Regulation No 2017/625 of the European
Parliament and of the 
Council.
(5) [21 November 2019]
(6) The requirements for reference laboratories and the 
procedures for authorising reference laboratories, and also
9
/
19the 
reference fields in the handling of food shall be determined by 
the Cabinet.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 19 December
2006; 24 January 
2008; 12 November 2009; 1 December 2009; 20 May 2010; 28 October 
2010; 13 September 2012;
23 October 2014; 27 April 2007; 25 
October 2018; 21 November 2019
]
Section 21.
1
 (1) The Food and Veterinary 
Service includes the central administration and territorial 
units.
(2) The Cabinet shall approve the by-laws of the Food and 
Veterinary Service.
(3) The work of the Food and Veterinary Service shall be 
managed by the Director General of the Service who shall
concurrently be the State chief food and veterinary 
inspector.
(4) The State chief food and veterinary inspector shall 
authorise State senior inspectors and State inspectors of
the 
Food and Veterinary Service to perform State supervision and 
control in the relevant field.
(5) A territorial unit of the Food and Veterinary Service 
shall perform the functions of State supervision and control
in a 
specified part of the State territory.
(6) [12 June 2009]
(7) [12 June 2009]
(8) The financial resources of the Food and Veterinary Service 
shall consist of a grant from the State basic budget
from general 
revenue, of revenue from paid services in accordance with the 
procedures stipulated by the Cabinet, of
foreign financial 
assistance in the amount specified in the Law on the State Budget 
for the current year, and of
donations and gifts received.
(9) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for calculating 
the fee and paying for the State supervision and
control 
activities implemented by the Food and Veterinary Service 
specified in this Law and in Regulation (EU)
2017/625 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council on official controls.
(10) [17 November 2005]
[
13 December 2001; 6 November 2003; 21 October 2004; 17 
November 2005; 15 December 2005; 12 June 2009; 1
December 2009; 
28 October 2010; 21 November 2019
]
Section 21.
2
 (1) The obligations of the 
official laboratory specified in Article 38 of Regulation (EU) 
2017/625 of the
European Parliament and of the Council on 
official controls shall be performed by the Institute of Food 
Safety, Animal
Health and Environment "BIOR".
(2) In the cases specified in laws and regulations persons 
shall cover the expenditures for the laboratory tests
carried out 
by the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment 
"BIOR".
(3) The price list for the activities carried out by the 
Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment
"BIOR" 
within the framework of State administration tasks shall be 
approved by the Cabinet.
(4) The Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and 
Environment "BIOR" shall:
1) carry out the function of the national contact point of the 
European Food Safety Authority in accordance with
Regulation No 
178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
2) assess the cooperation institutions in Latvia referred to 
in Article 36 of Regulation No 178/2002 of the European
Parliament and of the Council and coordinate their cooperation 
with the European Food Safety Authority;
3) collect and analyse data and information to assess the risk 
factors that have direct or indirect influence on food
and 
nutrition safety, and also in relation to human nutrition, animal 
health and welfare, and plant health;
4) carry out scientific assessment of risk in its fields of 
competence;
5) in the cases specified in the directly applicable legal 
acts of the European Union in the field of handling of food,
assess the applications received from establishments regarding 
new raw materials and production processes and
send them to the 
European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority;
6) perform the tasks assigned to the competent authority in 
relation to cooperation with the European Commission
and the 
European Food Safety Authority in accordance with the 
requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No
1924/2006 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on 
nutrition and health claims made
on foods;
7) upon request of a food establishment, ensure the 
methodological management of the self-monitoring laboratory
of 
the food establishment;
10
/
198) perform the functions of a reference laboratory in the 
field of the handling of food.
[
1 December 2009; 20 May 2010; 23 October 2014; 27 April 
2017; 21 November 2019
]
Section 22.
 (1) [13 December 2001]
(2) Upon carrying out scheduled or extraordinary control, 
officials of the Food and Veterinary Service, presenting
their 
service identification, have the right within the scope of their 
competence:
1) without prior warning, to visit any food establishment and 
an establishment producing, processing, and
distributing 
materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, 
to request documents and information, to
acquaint themselves with 
materials, to take copies of documents and extracts from 
documents, and also to take
measures necessary in order to ensure 
State supervision and control of the handling of food;
2) in accordance with laws and regulations to take the samples 
of the objects referred to in Section 23, Clauses 2
and 4 of this 
Law and send them for testing to an accordingly accredited or 
authorised laboratory. If non-conformity
with the requirements 
laid down in laws and regulations has been established, the food 
establishment shall cover all
the expenditures related to the 
testing;
3) to supervise and control the periodicity and scope of 
mandatory health examinations and the compliance with
hygiene 
requirements by the personnel, the readings of values recorded by 
measuring instruments in a food
establishment, and also the 
objects referred to in Section 23 of this Law;
3
1
) to carry out negotiations with the head of a 
food establishment or natural persons employed in the food
establishment regarding issues that concern the stage of the 
handling of food in which the respective person is
engaged;
3
2
) to take the readings of measuring instruments 
in a food establishment, and also make measurements using
the 
control equipment;
4) in accordance with the laws and regulations governing the 
handling of food to suspend or restrict the handling of
food, 
recognise food as unfit for distribution and to prohibit the 
handling thereof in case of justified suspicion of
harmfulness of 
food to human health, life, or the environment or of misleading 
of the consumers. The decision shall
have immediate effect;
5) if necessary, to prepare materials for law enforcement 
authorities for subjecting guilty persons to criminal
liability;
6) if necessary, to ensure the performance of their tasks, by 
inviting employees of law enforcement authorities;
7) if any of the food products in a batch does not conform to 
the requirements laid down in laws and regulations,
the whole 
batch, consignment or supply of the same type or class of food 
shall be declared as not conforming with the
requirements, except 
for the case when a full analysis of food attests the conformity 
of the remaining food with the
requirements;
8) to suspend distribution of materials and articles intended 
to come into contact with food, operation of
establishments 
producing, processing, and distributing them, to recognise the 
materials and articles intended to come
into contact with food as 
unfit for distribution and to remove them from the circulation in 
case of justified suspicion or
detection of harmfulness of these 
materials and articles to human health, life, or the environment. 
The decision shall
have immediate effect;
9) to impose an obligation to eliminate the non-conformities 
within a specified time period if the requirements of the
laws 
and regulations governing the handling of food (including the 
materials and articles intended for coming into
contact with 
food) have been violated.
(2
1
) An official of the Food and Veterinary Service 
in relation to the State monitoring and control has the right to
make a control purchase. If a food product does not conform to 
the requirements of the laws and regulations
governing the 
handling of food, the expenditures related to conducting the 
control purchase shall be covered by the
food establishment.
(3) [1 July 2020 / See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions]
(4) If mass spread of diseases or poisoning caused by food has 
occurred or is possible, the State chief food and
veterinary 
inspector shall determine restrictions for the handling of food. 
The restrictions for the handling of food
determined by the 
inspector shall be enforced immediately.
(5) If there is a threat to human life or health, the State 
chief food and veterinary inspector is entitled to determine
restrictions or prohibitions on the bringing in and distribution 
of food in Latvia. The restrictions determined by the
inspector 
shall be enforced immediately.
11
/
19(6) Officials of the Food and Veterinary Service are entitled 
to send the freights with goods and products for in-
depth control 
to accordingly equipped control points, if the freight in the 
vehicle is positioned so that it is not possible
to access all 
the types of goods in the vehicle and it is not possible to carry 
out an in-depth control of the freight at
the border control 
point or it is not possible to provide the appropriate conditions 
for the particular freight during the
control process. The owner 
of the freight or his authorised representative shall cover all 
the expenditures (including for
the unloading and loading of the 
freight) related to this control, if non-conformity of the 
freight with the requirements
laid down in the laws and 
regulations is established during control. The official of the 
Food and Veterinary Service
Officer shall provide the opinion on 
the results of the in-depth control within 24 hours from the 
moment of detaining the
freight.
(7) Contesting and appeal of a decision and order of the 
officials of the Food and Veterinary Service on elimination
of 
non-conformities with the requirements of the laws and 
regulations governing the field of the handling of food and
materials and articles intended for coming into contact with food 
and performing of corrective activities shall not
suspend its 
execution. The decision and order shall be executed without 
delay.
(8) If the operator needs to eliminate the non-conformities 
established in the control, the Food and Veterinary
Service 
shall, not later than within 90 days, decide on the operator's 
joining the control system of the food quality
schemes.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 12 June 2009;
12 November 2009; 
28 October 2010; 13 September 2012; 23 October 2014; 27 April 
2017; 21 November 2019; 7 May
2020 /
 
See Paragraph 31 of 
the Transitional Provisions
]
Section 23.
 The following shall be subject to State 
supervision and control:
1) the premises, territory of food establishments, condition 
and use of vehicles, machinery, and equipment
involved in the 
handling of food;
2) raw materials, ingredients, technological facilities, 
drinking water, and other products which are used for the
preparation and manufacturing of food products; semi-finished 
products, and finished products, and also materials and
articles 
that are intended to come into contact with food;
3) food product processing methods;
4) cleaning and disinfection agents;
5) cleaning and disinfection processes;
6) food safety and quality assurance systems of food 
establishments;
7) labelling of food products, and advertising related to 
labelling;
8) production, processing, and distribution processes of 
materials and articles intended to come into contact with
food.
[
21 October 2004; 28 October 2010; 24 November 2010 /
 
Amendments to Clause 2 and Clause 8 shall come into
force on 1 
January 2012.
 
See Paragraph 18 of Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 24.
 (1) Authorities and officials involved in 
the performance of the functions of State supervision and
control 
shall ensure that the information acquired during the supervision 
and control process is not disclosed, except
for information 
concerning potential harm to human health, life, or the 
environment, and in cases when misleading
information on the 
origin, composition of food products has been provided and 
improper indications concerning the
wholesomeness have been 
used.
(2) Authorities and officials involved in State supervision 
and control shall be liable for their actions and decisions
in 
accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and other 
regulations.
(3) Officials of the Food and Veterinary Service may not in 
person or through a third party participate in the
economic 
activities of the food establishments subject to their 
control.
(4) An official of a higher rank may revoke orders and 
decisions of an official of the Food and Veterinary Service.
Orders and decisions of the State chief food and veterinary 
inspector may be appealed to the court.
(5) [21 November 2019]
[
13 December 2001; 17 November 2005; 23 October 2014; 21 
November 2019
]
Section 25.
 In cases of epidemics, epizootics, and mass 
toxicoses, and also in cases of a threat of an outbreak
of such, 
authorities which are supervised or subject to the control of the 
Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of
Agriculture have the 
exclusive right of State supervision and control of the handling 
of food in accordance with the
12
/
19laws and regulations in force.
[
13 December 2001; 17 November 2005
]
Section 26.
 [7 May 2020 / See Paragraph 31 of the 
Transitional Provisions]
Chapter 
VI
Suspension and Renewal of the Operation of Food 
establishments
[
6 December 2007
]
Section 27.
 (1) The official of the Food and Veterinary 
Service has the right to take the decision to suspend the
operation of a food establishment (including the operation of its 
units or individual installations) if a non-conformity with
the 
requirements laid down in the laws and regulations in the field 
of the handling of food (including materials and
articles 
intended for coming into contact with food) has been 
detected.
(2) [27 April 2017]
(3) [27 April 2017]
(4) Suspension of the operation of the food establishment 
shall be ensured by the food establishment itself.
(5) The operation of a food establishment shall be suspended 
without delay if:
1) dangerous substances or disease agents may get into 
products or threats to human and animal health or life
may arise 
due to a non-conformity with the requirements laid down in the 
laws and regulations in the field of the
handling of food 
(including materials and articles intended for coming into 
contact with food);
2) it has not been recognised or has not been registered in 
accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws
and 
regulations governing the field of the handling of food.
(6) The approval and approval number or registration and 
registration number of a food establishment may be
cancelled, 
if:
1) repeat non-conformities with the requirements of the laws 
and regulations have been detected in the food
establishment;
2) the food establishment is unable to provide further 
handling of food in accordance with the requirements of the
laws 
and regulations governing the handling of food.
(7) The decision to suspend the operation of a food 
establishment, to cancel the recognition and recognition
number 
or registration and registration number of the establishment may 
be contested and appealed in accordance
with the procedures laid 
down in the Administrative Procedure Law. Contesting and appeal 
of the decisions of the
officials of the Food and Veterinary 
Service referred to in this Section shall not suspend their 
operation.
[
12 June 2009; 12 November 2009; 20 May 2010; 27 April 
2017
]
Section 28.
 (1) The food establishment shall notify the 
relevant territorial unit of the Food and Veterinary Service
in 
writing of the fact that the non-conformities with the 
requirements of the laws and regulations governing the handling
of food indicated in the decision to suspend the operation of the 
food establishment have been eliminated. The official
of the Food 
and Veterinary Service Officer shall, within five working days 
after receipt of the notification, examine
whether the 
non-conformities have been eliminated.
(2) After all the non-conformities with the requirements of 
the laws and regulations governing the handling of food
referred 
to in the decision have been eliminated, the official of the Food 
and Veterinary Service Officer shall, not later
than within three 
working days after inspection, allow in writing the renewal of 
the operation of the food establishment,
if the suspension is not 
related to cancellation of the approval and approval number or 
registration and the registration
number.
[
20 May 2010; 27 April 2017
]
Chapter 
VII
Administrative Offences in the Field of the Handling of Food and 
Competence in
the Administrative Offence Proceedings
[
7 May 2020 /
 
Chapter 
shall come into force on 1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of 
the Transitional Provisions
]
13
/
19Section 29.
 For the violation of the safety and quality 
requirements laid down in the laws and regulations governing
the 
handling of food or materials and articles intended for coming 
into contact with food, a warning or a fine of up to
one hundred 
units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine 
from four to three hundred units of fine - on a
legal person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 30.
 For the violation of the safety and quality 
requirements laid down in the import, export, and transit of
food 
or materials and articles intended for coming into contact with 
food, a fine from five to one hundred and ten units
of fine shall 
be imposed on a natural person, but a fine from ten to three 
hundred and fifty units of fine - on a legal
person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 31.
 For the distribution of food not conforming 
to the pollution requirements or for unauthorised distribution
of 
food for which the durability date has expired, a fine from ten 
to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed
on a 
natural person, but a fine from fourteen to six hundred units of 
fine - on a legal person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 32.
 For the failure to provide information to 
the Food and Veterinary Service regarding non-conforming
results 
of the indicators of food safety detected in self-monitoring and 
the measures implemented for the elimination of
non-conformities, 
a fine from twenty to one hundred and forty units of fine shall 
be imposed on a natural person, but a
fine from forty to six 
hundred units of fine - on a legal person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 33.
 For the provision of false information 
regarding the composition of food, its country or place of 
origin,
or for falsification of food, or for the violation of the 
prohibition of misleading practice specified in the laws and
regulations governing the handling of food, a fine from seventy 
to one hundred and forty units of fine shall be imposed
on a 
natural person, but a fine from one hundred and forty to eight 
hundred units of fine - on a legal person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 34.
 For the involvement in the handling of food 
without the recognition or registration of a food
establishment 
or a production, processing, and distribution establishment of 
materials and articles intended for coming
into contact with food 
and specified in laws and regulations or without sending a 
notification regarding performance of
temporary services, or for 
the failure to notify of changes in the operation of the 
establishment, a fine from fourteen to
one hundred and fifty 
units of fine shall be imposed on a natural person, but a fine 
from eighty to eight hundred units
of fine - on a legal 
person.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Section 35.
 The administrative offence proceedings for 
the offences referred to in Sections 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and
34 
of this Law shall be conducted by the Food and Veterinary 
Service.
[
7 May 2020 /
 
This Section shall come into force on 
1 July 2020.
 
See Paragraph 31 of the Transitional 
Provisions
]
Transitional 
provisions
1. The approval of food establishments by an authorised 
competent authority and registration in a special food
establishment register shall be commenced after adoption by the 
Cabinet of regulations regarding the procedures for
the approval 
and registration of food establishments within the time period 
provided for in such regulations.
2. With the coming into force of this Law, the law On the 
Procedures and Control of the Handling of Food (
Latvijas
Republikas Saeimas un Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs
, 1995, No. 
14; 1997, No. 3) is repealed.
3. The Cabinet shall:
1) by 31 December 2003, issue regulations which govern the 
requirements for the bringing in of food into the State,
bringing 
out from the State and for transit traffic; the procedures for 
control at State border control points, in free
zones, free 
warehouses, and customs warehouses, and the list of goods subject 
to control;
2) by 31 December 2003, issue regulations which govern the 
requirements for the facilities at the control points, in
which 
sanitary border control of food is performed, and procedures for 
the approval of the control points;
3) by 31 December 2003, issue regulations which govern the 
procedures by which payments for the activities of
supervision 
and control specified in this Law shall be made, and the types of 
paid services provided by the Food and
Veterinary Service;
14
/
194) [6 November 2003];
5) by 1 July 2005, issue regulations which govern the 
requirements for reference laboratories and the procedures
for 
authorising reference laboratories;
6) [6 November 2003];
7) [6 November 2003];
8) [17 November 2005];
9) [21 October 2004];
10) [6 November 2003];
11) by 1 May 2004, issue regulations which govern the work of 
the rapid alert system;
12) by 1 January 2005, issue regulations which govern 
professional qualification of the persons involved in the
handling of food and determine the procedures for the acquisition 
of professional qualification and monitoring thereof;
13) by 1 March 2004, issue regulations which govern the 
procedures for distributing iodised salt, and determine the
cases 
in which this salt is used in food production;
14) by 31 December 2006, issue regulations which govern the 
hygiene requirements for primary production and
direct supply of 
primary production to the final consumer in small amount, and 
also the volume of the abovementioned
supply;
15) [12 November 2009];
16) by 1 July 2007, issue the regulations referred to in 
Section 4, Paragraph twelve and Section 10, Paragraphs
four and 
five of this Law;
17) [20 May 2010];
18) by 1 July 2008, issue the regulations referred to in 
Section 4, Paragraphs thirteen and fourteen of this Law.
[
13 December 2001; 12 September 2002; 6 November 2003; 21 
October 2004; 17 November 2005; 19 December
2006; 6 December 
2007; 24 January 2008; 12 November 2009; 20 May 2010
]
4. Until issuance of the relevant Cabinet regulations, but no 
longer than until 31 March 2002, Cabinet Regulation
No. 106 of 6 
March 2001, Procedures for Recognition and Registration of Food 
establishments, shall be in force,
insofar as it is not in 
contradiction with this Law.
[
13 December 2001
]
5. [6 November 2003]
6. Section 21, Paragraph two, Clause 2 and Section 
21.
1
, Paragraph five of this Law in relation to State
supervision and control in free warehouses shall come into force 
on 1 July 2002.
[
13 December 2001
]
7. Approval that was performed for food establishments in 
accordance with Cabinet Regulation No. 106 of 6 March
2001, 
Procedures for the Recognition and Registration of Food 
establishments, shall be deemed to be in effect.
[
12 September 2002
]
8. Food establishments (except for those to which an approval 
number was granted in accordance with Cabinet
Regulation No. 106 
of 6 March 2001, Procedures for the Recognition and Registration 
of Food establishments) which
have become engaged in the handling 
of food until the day of the coming into force of the Cabinet 
regulation referred
to in Section 5, Paragraph four of this Law, 
are prohibited from participating in the handling of food if they 
have not
applied to the Food and Veterinary Service by 1 January 
2003. If the food establishments the type of operation of
which 
is referred to in Section 5, Paragraph one of this Law are under 
State supervision and control and conform to
the requirements of 
laws and regulations, the Food and Veterinary Service shall grant 
them an approval number. Food
establishments the type of 
operation of which is not referred to in Section 5, Paragraph one 
of this Law shall be
registered by the Food and Veterinary 
Service, granting them an approval number.
[
12 September 2002
]
9. Food establishments which wish to engage in the handling of 
food until the day of coming into force of the
Cabinet regulation 
referred to in Section 5, Paragraph four of this Law may commence 
operation only after having
15
/
19received a permit from the Food and 
Veterinary Service.
[
12 September 2002
]
10. Food establishments which have not engaged in the handling 
of food until the day of coming into force of the
Cabinet 
regulation referred to in Section 5, Paragraph four of this Law 
may commence operation only after receiving
an approval or 
registration number in accordance with the procedures stipulated 
by the Cabinet.
[
12 September 2002
]
11. Amendments adopted on 17 November 2005 to Section 4, 
Paragraph 10.
1
, Section 19, Paragraph one, Section
20, 
Section 21.
1
, Paragraph one, and also Section 21, 
Paragraph two, Clauses 10.
1
, 14, and 15 of this Law 
shall
come into force on 1 January 2006.
[
15 December 2005
]
12. Warnings issued and decisions taken by the officials of 
the Food and Veterinary Service on suspension or
restriction of 
the operation of food establishments which have been issued or 
adopted on the basis of the law On the
Procedures for the 
Suspension of the Operations of Companies, Institutions, and 
Organisations shall be valid also
after 1 January 2008.
[
6 December 2007
]
13. Amendment to Section 5 of this Law with regard to deletion 
of Paragraph seven, and also Sections 27 and 28
shall come into 
force on 1 January 2008.
[
6 December 2007
]
14. Section 4, Paragraphs fifteen and sixteen, amendments to 
Section 20, Paragraph two of this Law shall come
into force on 1 
January 2011.
[
12 November 2009; 20 May 2010
]
15. Until entry into force of the Cabinet Regulation referred 
to in Section 8, Paragraph ten of this Law, but no longer
than 
until 1 December 2010, Cabinet Regulation No. 665 of 2 October 
2007, Hygiene Requirements for the Handling of
Eggs in Small 
Amounts, shall be in force, insofar as it is not in contradiction 
with this Law.
[
20 May 2010
]
16. The Cabinet shall, by 1 January 2012, issue the 
regulations referred to in Section 19, Paragraph 3.
1
 
of this
Law.
[
28 October 2018
]
17. Section 20, Paragraph three and amendments to Section 
21.
1
, Paragraph one of this Law with regard to the
composition of the Food and Veterinary Service shall come into 
force on 1 January 2011.
[
28 October 2018
]
18. Section 1, Clause 22, Section 21, Paragraph two, Clause 
18, Section 22, Paragraph two, Clause 8, Section 23,
Clause 8, 
amendments to Section 10, Paragraph one of this Law in relation 
to the Cabinet regulation regarding
materials and articles 
intended to come into contact with food, Section 22, Paragraph 
two, Clause 1 in relation to the
competence of the Food and 
Veterinary Service in carrying out control of the materials and 
articles intended to come
into contact with food for production, 
processing, and distribution in the establishment, and to Section 
23, Clause 2 of
this Law in relation to the replacement of the 
words "articles that come into contact" with words "article that 
are
intended for contact" shall come into force on 1 January 
2012.
[
28 October 2010
]
19. The Cabinet shall, by 1 March 2011 in accordance with 
Section 4, Paragraph three of this Law, issue
regulations that 
provide for special requirements for dietary food. Until entry 
into force of the Cabinet regulation, but no
longer than until 1 
March 2011, Cabinet Regulation No. 323 of 10 May 2005, 
Regulations Regarding General
Requirements for Harmlessness, 
Quality and Labelling of Dietary Food, as well as Conformity 
Assessment of Dietary
Food and Procedures for Coverage Thereof, 
shall be applied, insofar as it is not in contradiction with this 
Law.
[
28 October 2010
]
20. Amendments in relation to repeal of Section 4, Paragraph 
sixteen of this Law shall come into force
concurrently with the 
relevant amendments to the law On Taxes and Fees.
16
/
19[
13 September 2012
]
21. The Cabinet shall, by 30 November 2015, issue the 
regulations referred to in Section 4, Paragraphs 10.
1
,
thirteen, and seventeen, Section 8, Paragraph five, Section 10, 
Paragraph three, and Section 13, Paragraph three,
Clause 3 of 
this Law.
[
23 October 2014
]
22. Until the day of coming into force of the Cabinet 
regulations referred to in Section 4, Paragraphs 10.
1
 
and
thirteen, Section 8, Paragraph five, and Section 13 Paragraph 
three, Clause 3 of this Law, but no later than until 30
November 
2015, the following Cabinet regulations shall be applied insofar 
as they are not in contradiction with this
Law:
1) Cabinet Regulation No. 118 of 13 March 2001, Mandatory 
Harmlessness Requirements for the Composition of
Food Intended 
for Infants and Young Children and the Requirements for the 
Labelling and Distribution Thereof;
2) Cabinet Regulation No. 144 of 27 March 2001, Mandatory 
Harmlessness Requirements for Dietary Food with
Reduced Energy 
Value and for the Labelling Thereof;
3) Cabinet Regulation No. 155 of 3 April 2001, Mandatory 
Harmlessness Requirements for Food for Special Dietary
Purposes 
and Requirements for Labelling;
4) Cabinet Regulation No. 377 of 8 July 2003, Requirements for 
Quality, Classification and Labelling of Various
Types of 
Sugars;
5) Cabinet Regulation No. 378 of 8 July 2003, Requirements for 
Quality, Classification and Labelling of Fruit Jam,
Jelly, 
Marmalade, Jam and Sweetened Chestnut Purée;
6) Cabinet Regulation No. 522 of 16 September 2003, 
Requirements for Quality, Classification and Labelling of
Honey;
7) Cabinet Regulation No. 661 of 25 November 2003, 
Requirements for Quality, Classification and Labelling of
Cocoa 
and Chocolate Products;
8) Cabinet Regulation No. 323 of 20 April 2004, Mandatory 
Harmlessness Requirements for Food Processed with
Ionising 
Radiation and Additional Requirements for the Labelling 
Thereof;
9) Cabinet Regulation No. 334 of 20 April 2004, Regulations 
Regarding Contamination of Foodstuffs and
Requirements for 
Packaging and Labelling of Foodstuffs Containing Acid Chemical 
Substances;
10) Cabinet Regulation No. 140 of 22 February 2005, 
Requirements for Quality, Classification and Labelling of
Coffee 
and Chicory Extract;
11) Cabinet Regulation No. 381 of 31 May 2005, Regulations 
Regarding Requirements for Quality, Classification
and Labelling 
of Dehydrated Dairy Products and the Procedures for the 
Conformity Assessment of the
Abovementioned Products with such 
Requirements;
12) Cabinet Regulation No. 409 of 14 June 2005, Requirements 
for Professional Qualification of Persons Employed
in the 
Handling of Food;
13) Cabinet Regulation No. 435 of 21 June 2005, Regulations 
Regarding Requirements for Quality, Classification
and Labelling 
of Edible Caseins and Caseinates and the Procedures for the 
Conformity Assessment;
14) Cabinet Regulation No. 488 of 5 July 2005, Mandatory 
Harmlessness, Quality, Hygiene and Labelling
Requirements for 
Edible Salt and for Distribution and Use Thereof in Food 
Production;
15) Cabinet Regulation No. 725 of 20 September 2005, 
Regulations Regarding Food Supplements;
16) Cabinet Regulation No. 646 of 8 August 2006, Regulations 
Regarding Names of Species to be Used in the
Labelling of Fishery 
Products;
17) Cabinet Regulation No. 893 of 31 October 2006, Mandatory 
Harmlessness and Labelling Requirements for
Apple and Pear 
Cider;
18) Cabinet Regulation No. 257 of 24 March 2009, Regulations 
Regarding the Labelling of Meat that Has Been
Obtained from 
Cattle the Age of Which Does Not Exceed 12 Months;
19) Cabinet Regulation No. 613 of 25 June 2009, Requirements 
for Quality, Classification and Labelling of Fresh
Fruit and 
Vegetables and the Procedures for the Conformity Assessment with 
the Standards for Fresh Fruit and
Vegetables;
17
/
1920) Cabinet Regulation No. 1171 of 13 October 2009, 
Regulations Regarding the Processing Quality, Classification
and 
Marking of Animal Carcasses, as well as the Procedures for the 
Conformity Assessment of Animal Carcasses
with the Requirements 
of Processing Quality and Classification, and Gathering and 
Aggregation of Information
Regarding the Prices of Animal 
Carcasses;
21) Cabinet Regulation No. 127 of 9 February 2010, Regulations 
Regarding the Labelling of Mutton;
22) Regulation No. 1053 of 16 November 2010, Regulations 
Regarding Specific Requirements for Dietary Food, the
Procedures 
for Registration of the Dietary Food and the State Fee for 
Registration of Dietary Food;
23) Regulation No. 1130 of 21 December 2010, Regulations 
Regarding Mandatory Requirements for Harmlessness
and Labelling 
of Natural Mineral Water and Spring Water, and the Procedures for 
the Issuance of Permits for
Distribution of Natural Mineral Water 
and for Covering the Issue Costs.
[
23 October 2014
]
23. The Cabinet shall, by 30 November 2014, issue the 
regulations referred to in Section 13, Paragraph three,
Clauses 1 
and 2 of this Law.
[
23 October 2014
]
24. Until the day of coming into force of the regulations 
referred to in Section 13, Paragraph three, Clause 1 of this
Law 
but no later than until 30 November 2014 Cabinet Regulation No. 
964 of 23 November 2004, Regulations
Regarding the Labelling of 
Food Products, shall be applied, insofar as it is not in 
contradiction with this Law.
[
23 October 2014
]
25. The new wording of Section 1, Clause 23 of this Law and 
amendment regarding the deletion of Section 20,
Paragraph three 
shall come into force on 1 January 2018.
[
27 April 2017
]
26. Amendment to this Law regarding the deletion of Section 4, 
Paragraph three shall come into force on 1 January
2023.
[
25 October 2018 /
 
The abovementioned amendment 
shall be included in the wording of the Law as of 1 January
2023
]
26.
1
 Amendment to Section 20, Paragraph two of this 
Law and the new wording of Section 21, Paragraph two,
Clause 
10.
1
 shall come into force on 1 January 2019.
[
25 October 2018
]
26.
2
 The first sentence of Section 20, Paragraph 
two of this Law shall be in force in the following wording until 
31
December 2018:
"A State fee shall be paid for the registration of food 
supplements, dietary food, and infant formulas and for the
issuance of a permit for the distribution of natural mineral 
water in the market."
[
25 October 2018
]
26.
3
 Section 21, Paragraph two, Clause 
10.
1
 of this Law shall be in force in the following 
wording until 31
December 2018:
"10
1
) to assess the conformity of dietary food and 
food supplements with the requirements laid down in laws and
regulations;"
[
25 October 2018
]
27. The Cabinet shall, by 31 December 2018, issue the 
regulations referred to in Section 4, Paragraph eighteen of
this 
Law.
[
27 April 2017
]
28. Until the day of coming into force of the Cabinet 
regulations referred to in Section 4, Paragraph 10.
1
, 
Clause 3
of this Law, but not later than until 31 December 2018, 
Cabinet Regulation No. 530 of 15 September 2015, Regulations
Regarding the Special Requirements for Dietary Food and 
Additional Labelling Thereof and the Procedures for the
Registration, Handling of Dietary Food and Payment of the State 
Fee, shall be applicable insofar as it is not in
contradiction 
with this Law.
18
/
19© Oficiālais izdevējs "Latvijas Vēstnesis"
[
27 April 2017; 25 October 2018
]
29. Section 11.
2
 of this Law in relation to the 
cases stipulated by the Cabinet when distribution of food is 
permitted
after expiry of the minimum durability date shall come 
into force on 1 July 2019. The Cabinet shall, by 30 June 2019,
issue the regulations referred to in Section 11.
2
, 
Paragraph two of this Law.
[
25 October 2018
]
30. The Cabinet shall, by 31 December 2020, issue the 
regulations referred to in Section 4, Paragraph eighteen of
this 
Law.
[
21 November 2019
]
31. Amendments to this Law regarding the deletion of Section 
22, Paragraph three and Section 26, and also
Chapter VII of this 
Law shall come into force concurrently with the Law on 
Administrative Liability.
[
7 May 2020
]
Informative 
Reference to European Union Directives
[17 November 2005]
The Law has been adopted by the 
Saeima
 on 19 February 
1998.
President G. Ulmanis
Rīga, 6 March 1998
1
 The Parliament of the Republic of 
Latvia
Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State 
Language Centre)
19
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19