Transitional measures

1. Foods placed on the market or labelled prior to the date of application of this Regulation which do not comply with this Regulation may be marketed until their expiry date, but not later than 31 July 2009. With regard to the provisions in Article 4(1), foods may be marketed until12 months following adoption of the relevant nutrient profiles and their conditions of use.

2. Products bearing trade marks or brand names existing before 1 January 2005 which do not comply with this Regulation may continue to be marketed until 19 January 2022 after which time the provisions of this Regulation shall apply.

3. Nutrition claims which have been used in a Member State before 1 January 2005 in compliance with national provisions applicable to them and which are not included in the Annex, may continue to be used until 19 January 2010 under the responsibility of food business operators and without prejudice to the adoption of safeguard measures as referred to in Article 23.

4. Nutrition claims in the form of pictorial, graphic or symbolic representation, complying with the general principles of this Regulation, which are not included in the Annex and are used according to specific conditions and criteria elaborated by national provisions or rules, shall be subject to the following:

Member States shall communicate to the Commission, by 31 January 2008 at the latest, such nutrition claims and the national provisions or rules applicable, accompanied by scientific data in support of such provisions or rules;

the Commission shall, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 24(2), adopt a Decision concerning the use of such claims.

Nutrition claims not authorised under this procedure may continue to be used for twelve months following the adoption of the Decision.

5. Health claims as referred to in Article 13(1)(a) may be made from the date of entry into force of this Regulation until the adoption of the list referred to in Article 13(3), under the responsibility of food business operators provided that they comply with this Regulation and with existing national provisions applicable to them, and without prejudice to the adoption of safeguard measures as referred to in Article 23.

6. Health claims other than those referred to in Article 13(1)(a) and 14, which have been used in compliance with national provisions before the date of entry into force of this Regulation, shall be subject to the following:

health claims which have been the subject of evaluation and authorisation in a Member State shall be authorised as follows:

Member States shall communicate to the Commission, by 31 January 2008 at the latest, such claims accompanied by a report evaluating the scientific data in support of the claim;

after consulting the Authority, the Commission shall, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 24(2), adopt a Decision concerning the health claims authorised in this way.

Health claims not authorised under this procedure may continue to be used for six months following the adoption of the Decision;

health claims which have not been the subject of evaluation and authorisation in a Member State: such claims may continue to be used provided an application is made pursuant to this Regulation before 19 January 2008, health claims not authorised under this procedure may continue to be used for six months after a decision is taken pursuant to Article 17(3).

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 ANNEX Nutrition claims and conditions applying to them