Requirements for Retail Establishments that Deliver Poultry Eggs or Donate Food of Animal Origin

Issued pursuant to
Section 4, Clause 19 of the Law
on the Supervision of the Handling of Food

1. The Regulation prescribes the requirements for retail establishments that perform the following marginal, localised, and restricted activities in accordance with Article 1(5)(b)(ii) and (c) of 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:

1.1. donate small quantities of poultry eggs, except for eggs obtained from birds of Gallus Gallus (domestic chickens) species (hereinafter - the poultry eggs), or frozen fresh meat, frozen minced meat, frozen meat preparations, frozen fresh or prepared fresh fishery products, and other frozen processed products of animal origin (hereinafter - the food) to other retail establishments;

1.2. deliver small quantities of poultry eggs to retail establishments.

[11 April 2023]

2. Within the meaning of this Regulation, another retail establishment that is permitted to receive the poultry eggs or food intended for donation shall be an association, foundation, religious organisation or its institution which is engaged in charity and is registered with the Food and Veterinary Service in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding the procedures for the approval and registration of food establishments.

[11 April 2023]

3. Within the meaning of this Regulation, a small quantity is up to 30 per cent of the total poultry egg and food quantity sold by a retail establishment in a month.

[11 April 2023]

4. An activity shall be considered as localised and restricted activity if the retail establishment delivers or donates poultry eggs or donates food within a radius of 200 kilometres from the location of the establishment to which the food is delivered or donated.

[11 April 2023]

5. Retail establishments may freeze the food intended for donation before their expiration date by rapidly lowering the temperature to -18 °C or lower core temperature or in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer or the product specification, or the requirements declared by the retail establishment, and also ensuring the safety of the product during the freezing thereof and until the intended end date of the freezing. The food that has been frozen in such way shall be labelled by indicating the date of freezing, and their expiration date may not be longer than 30 days.

[11 April 2023]

5.¹ A retail establishment which donates or another retail establishment which receives the donation shall ensure that the poultry eggs and food intended for donation to a final consumer are labelled with a special, clearly visible, and indelible indication which confirms that the food is intended for donation, for example, "For donation", "For charity".

[11 April 2023]

6. Retail establishments may deliver poultry eggs from the 29^th day after laying until the end of the minimum expiration date "best before..." to retail establishments or donate them to other retail establishments which can ensure heat treatment of poultry eggs before they arrive in the hands of final consumers.

[11 April 2023]

7. A retail establishment which delivers poultry eggs or donates poultry eggs or food and also a retail establishment to which poultry eggs are delivered, or another retail establishment to which poultry eggs or food are donated shall ensure:

7.1. traceability of food and poultry eggs;

7.2. conformity of the establishment with the requirements of the European Union law and laws and regulations of Latvia in the field of handling of food.

[11 April 2023]

Prime Minister A. K. Kariņš

Minister for Agriculture K. Gerhards

Translation © 2023 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)