Regarding Additional Regulations for the Handling of Food during the Emergency Situation

Considering the authorisation provided in Paragraph 4.29 of Cabinet Order No. 103 of 12 March 2020, Regarding the Declaration of Emergency Situation, for the Minister for Agriculture to take decisions in relation to the measures for the containment of COVID-19 and elimination of its consequences in the field of handling of food, agriculture, forest sector and fisheries during the emergency situation:

1. Lay down that the manufacturers of food products of Latvia are entitled to omit the labelling in the official language from the food packaging. In such case the retail company shall place the compulsory information regarding the food product (name, ingredients, allergens, and expiration date) in the official language at the location where the respective product is sold.

2. The companies involved in the handling of food which provide catering services or sell such non-prepackaged food which is offered without packaging and need not be washed or cooked before consumption (e.g., cookies, pastries, prepared foods, salads) shall ensure that the aforementioned food is sold only in packaging at self-service areas or its packaging upon a request of a buyer.

3. Public catering companies shall ensure separate issuing of a set of utensils and tableware, and also napkins for each customer.

3.¹ A public catering company shall comply with the following additional hygiene requirements:

3.¹ 1. a possibility for the visitors to wash their hands with warm water and cleaning agent or to disinfect them before a meal and also when entering the public catering company and exiting therefrom must be provided;

3.¹ 2. disinfection of the table after the meal of each visitor must be ensured;

3.¹ 3. as far as possible, delimited transparent safety barriers - walls must be placed in the checkout area.

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3.² In a retail company, the disinfection of hands before and after shopping must be provided to visitors.

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3.³ When delivering the primary food products in the small amount specified in laws and regulations directly to a final consumer or retail company which directly supplies the final customer, the relevant amount may be exceeded by complying with the hygiene and veterinary requirements specified in those laws and regulations.

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4. The execution of this Order shall be controlled by the Food and Veterinary Service.

Minister K. Gerhards

Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)