Romania regulates new conditions for food supplements

Cristina Popescu
Cristina Popescu

On 30 March 2021, the Romanian President promulgated Law no. 56/2021 on food supplements, which regulates the conditions for the advertising and placing of food supplements on the market.  The Law also contains sanctions for breach of these regulations. The major provisions of the Law include the following:

– Prior certification is necessary before food supplements can be placed on the market;

– Food supplements can be placed on the market only in pre-packaged form;

– Food supplements can be placed on the market only under this name or denomination;

– Packaging, advertising and promotional materials for food supplements must comply with legal conditions (both in form and content); and

– The list of certified food supplements, which may be legally placed on the market in Romania, will be posted on the website of the competent authority (together with prospectus and label) and updated on a monthly basis.

Food supplements which have already been placed on the market prior to the entry into force of the Law, may continue to be sold without the need for a new certification notice, provided that they comply with the requirements and standards of the Law and the conditions of the initial certification.

While the Law enters into force within three days from publication, it is not fully effective until the Ministry of Health elaborates the technical norms regulating the manufacture, sale and use of food supplements, and the government approves these norms. When these technical norms are approved, the current Norms on food supplements (approved through Order of the Ministry of Public Health no. 1069/2007) will cease to apply.

Cristina Popescu, Senior Counsel and Head of CEE Insurance Practice Group CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP SCP