29.09.2011. Council of the European Union adopted new rules for food labeling. These rules aimed at providing better information for customers. The most relevant changes are:

• - Nutritional labeling will be mandatory for almost all prepacked processed food. Member States may decide that all or part of the mandatory information for prepacked food, becomes also mandatory for non-prepacked food.
• -  labels must indicate the content of the energy valur and the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrates, protein, sugars and salt in the same field of vision per 100g. or per 100ml., usually in a table.
• - Mandatory information must be clearly visible and legible, not hidden by other information and in a specific minimum font size (at least 1.2 mm)
• - The compulsory country of origin information is extended also to fresh meat of swine, sheep, goats, and poultry.
• - Allergens must be also highlighted in the list of ingredients.

 Most of the new rules will become applicable three years after their publication in the EU Official Journal, which is expected by the end of November 2011.