Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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631. To ask the Minister for Health if Ireland is confined to only EU regulations on nutritional labelling or if there is scope for member states to introduce further minimum standards in respect of nutrition labelling on food products. [15441/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (FIC) is the main regulation governing the labelling of foods.  It introduced a mandatory requirement in December 2015 for the provision of nutrition labelling on pre-packaged foods.  The mandatory information requires a declaration of the energy value, and the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt.  The content of the mandatory nutrition declaration may be supplemented with an indication of the amounts of one or more of (a) Monounsaturates; (b) Polyunsaturates; (c) Polyols; (d) Starch; (e) Fibre; (f) Any of the vitamins or minerals listed in point 1 of Part A of Annex XIII to FIC, and present in significant amounts as defined in point 2 of Part A of Annex XIII to FIC.

The Regulation sets out the manner in which these nutrients must be presented.

In addition to the mandatory particulars, including nutrition information referred to in FIC [Article 9(1) and in Article 10], Member States may, under Article 39 and in accordance with the procedure laid down in FIC [Article 45 - notification procedure], adopt measures requiring additional mandatory particulars for specific types or categories of foods, justified on grounds of at least one of the following:

(a) The protection of public health;

(b) The protection of consumers;

(c) The prevention of fraud;

(d) The protection of industrial and commercial property rights, indications of provenance, registered designations of origin and the prevention of unfair competition.