Dietetic foods: approximation of the laws of the Member States (amend. Directive 89/398/EEC)

PURPOSE : to amend Directive 89/398/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses. COMMUNITY MEASURE : Directive 1999/41/EEC of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT : Directive 89/398/EEC put in place common rules concerning labelling, the presentation and the advertising of foodstuffs. The Annex to this Directive lists nine groups of foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses for which specific provisions will be laid down by specific Directives to be adopted by the Commission following a Committee regulation procedure. Taking into account the experience gained since the adoption of this Directive and in light of the conclusions of the Edinburgh Summit (which had recommended a simplification of the legislation), the product categories necessitating particular measures amount to five, in the terms of the new Directive. It concerns the following categories : - infant formulae and follow-on formulae ; - processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children; - food intended for the use in energy-restricted diets for weight reduction; - dietary foods for special medical purposes; - foods intended to meet the expenditure of intense muscular effort, especially for sportsmen. As for foods for persons suffering from carbohydrate-metabolism disorders (diabetes), a decision on whether to introduce specific measures will only be taken after a transition period of no more than three years starting from 07/06/1999. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 08/07/2000. DEADLINE SET FOR THE TRANSPOSITION : the measures shall be applied in such a way as to : permit trade in products complying with this Directive no later than 08/07/2000; and to prohibit trade in products not complying with this Directive by 08/01/2001.�