On this page you will find guidance and legislation related to the food sector. See the legislative references for the most recent or consolidated version.
Common guidelines and legislation in the food sector
Website of Finnish Food Authority
Cybersecurity Directive (NIS2) in the food industry
Forms
Ilmoitus kyberturvallisuuslain mukaiseen toimijaluetteloon (pdf) (in Finnish)
Ilmoitus kyberturvallisuuslain mukaiseen toimijaluetteloon (word) (in Finnish)
Anmälan till förteckning över aktörer enligt cybersäkerhetslagen (pdf) (in Swedish)
Anmälan till förteckning över aktörer enligt cybersäkerhetslagen (word) (in Swedish)
Legislation
Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC
General Food Law Regulation (EC) No 178/2002
Cybersecurity Act 124/2025 (in Finnish or Swedish)
Critical Infrastructure Protection and Crisis Resilence Act 310/2025 (in Finnish or Swedish)
Act on Amendments to the Cybersecurity Act 369/2025 (in Finnish or Swedish)
Exceptional situations
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Withdrawal (recall) form, 3692/1 (docx)
- Withdrawal (recall) form, 3692/1 (pdf)
- Instructions how to fill the form 17053/1 (pdf)
- Withdrawal form of food contact materials, (recall) 3692/1 (docx)
- Withdrawal form of food contact materials, (recall) 3692/1 (pdf)
- Instructions for withdrawal due to allergen error 6727/6 (pdf)
- Instructions for withdrawal of unauthorised novel foods from the market 4317/7 (pdf)
- Instructions on withdrawal of foods due to irradiation 17019/2 (pdf)
- Guidelines on withdrawal due to labelling error 6089/2 (pdf)
- Guidelines for withdrawal of fortified foods from market (The Finnish Food Authority guide 6539/2021, pdf)
- Guideline on withdrawal of unauthorised genetically modified food and feed (15.5.2020, pdf)
- Residues of Plant Protection Products: Decision-Making Tree, (The Finnish Food Authority guide), (pdf)
Product and industry specific requirements
Website
Finnish Food Authorities guides
Legislation
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products
- Regulation (EC) No 445/2007 on certail detailed rules for spreadable fats and protection of designations used in the marketing of milk and milk products
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Website
Finnish Food Authorities guides
Website
Finnish Food Authorities guides
- Insects as food 10588 (pdf)
- Oiva evaluation guidelines
Legislation
- Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 establishing the Union list of novel foods (specifications of insect products authorized as novel foods and their conditions of use)
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Website
Finnish Food Authorities guides
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for alla food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 12.1 Food supplements
- Food Supplement Guide (pdf)
- Food supplement notification (form, word)
- Guideline for submittal of food supplement notification
- Guideline for the use of Electronic Service
- Warning for food supplements containing ginger and ginger tea and similar
Legislation
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for alla food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 12.2 Foods for Specific Groups
- Guidelines on how to make the notification for a food for specific groups
- Guideline for the use of Electronic Service
Infant formula and Follow-on formula
- Notification of Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula (form, word)
Foods for special medical purposes
- Notification of Foods for Special Medical Purposes (form, word)
Total diet replacement for weight control
Legislation
Infant formula and Follow-on formula
Foods for special medical purposes
Total diet replacement for weight control
Foods for infants and young children
- Decision 789/1997 on foods for infants and young children (in Finnish)
- Decree 1215/2007 on pesticides in foods for infants and young children (in Finnish)
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Finnish Food Authorities website
Finnish Food Authorities guides
- Does your restaurant prepare food to be sold by retailers? (pdf) (Checklist with photos)
Restaurant hygiene
Finnish Food Authorities guides
- Outdoor sale guide 16022/5 (Guide is under uppdating)
Finnish Food Authorities guides
Do you deliver food? (pdf) (Checklist with photos)
Website
- Storage, packaging and freezing of food (in Finnish)
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines
- Sales of Intervention Skimmed Milk Powder - Notice to traders (2019)
- Tender for skimmed milk powder stored in intervention storage in Finland (form, docx)
Intervention stocks - customer registration forms
Website
Guide, instructions and forms
- Foodstuffs donated to food aid 16035/2 (Guide is under uppdating)
Hygienic actions
- Disposable protective gloves in food processing (printable instruction, pdf)
Labelling and marketing
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for all food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 13.1 Mandatory food information (packaged and unpackaged foodstuffs)
- Guidelines for controlling food labelling 17055/1 (pdf)
- Food Information Guide (Finnish Food Authority Guide 17068/2) (pdf, in Finnish)
- Guidelines on withdrawal due to labelling error 6089/2, (pdf)
- Warning for food supplements containing ginger and ginger tea and similar
Legislation
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for all food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 13.3 Marketing
- Quick guide on how to use nutrition and health claims (pdf)
- Guidelines for Control of Nutrition and Health Claims, 17060/1, (pdf)
- Commission’s Guidance on the Implementation of the Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims (pdf)
- General principles on flexibility of wording for health claims (pdf)
Legislation
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on Nutrition and Health Claims
- Commission implementing decision 2013/63/EU adopting guidelines for the implementation of specific conditions for health claims laid down in Article 10
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Ingredients and contents
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for alla food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 11.3 Genetically Modified Ingredients
- Control guideline for genetically modified food
- Annex 1.
- Finnish Food Authority Guideline 2324/04.02.00.01/2020/6: Sampling instructions for foods analysed for potential genetically modified ingredients (in Finnish, pdf)
- Annex 2.
- Sampling form (in Finnish, pdf)
- Annex 1.
- Guideline on withdrawal of unauthorised genetically modified food and feed (15.5.2020, pdf)
- Use of voluntary "gmo free" marketing claim on food and feed (15.5.2020, pdf)
Legislation
- Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on genetically modified food and feed (in force at 17 October 2023, see latest consolidated version).
- Regulation (EC) No 1830/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and the traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms and amending Directive 2001/18/EC
(in force at 17 October 2023, see latest consolidated version).
Website
Guides, instructions and forms
- Oiva evaluation guidelines for alla food activities (used where applicable)
- Oiva evaluation guideline 11.2 Nutritional Fortification
- Notification on bringing to market fortified foods (form, word)
- Placing of foods fortified with vitamins and minerals on the market, change in composition and removal from the market - guidelines for submittal of notification to the Finnish Food Authority
- Guidelines for control of fortified foods
- Guide on withdrawal of fortified foods (pdf)
- Guideline for the use of Electronic Service
Legislation
- Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to food
- Decree 726/2007 on fortified foods (in Finnish)
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).
Packages and contact materials
Websites of Finnish Food Authority
Guidelines and forms of Finnish Food Authority
- Oiva-instructions for all foodsector (to be used where appropriate)
- Oiva-instruction 14.1 Packages and other food contact materials
- Guide on controls of food contact materials
- Guidelines for the evaluation of contact material operations
for authorities and operators - Announcementform for recall/withdraval of food contact materials (form, docx)
- Inspection form for manufacturer of food contact materials (form, docx)
- Inspection form for importer of food contact materials (form, docx)
- Inspection form for wholesalers of food contact materials (form, docx)
Legislation
- Framework regulation (EY) 1935/2004
- GMP-regulation (EY) 2023/2006
- National degree on migration of heavy metals (MTI) 268/1992
- Plastic regulation (EU) 10/2011
- Regulation (EY) 450/2009 on activ and intelligense materials and articles
- Degree (MTI) 697/2005 on regenerated cellulosa
- Ceramics degree (MTI) 165/2006
- Regulation (EU) 2018/213 on bisphenol A
- Regulation (EY) 1895/2005 on epoxy derivates
- Degree 903/2004 no N-nitrosamines in rubber teats and soothers
- Regulation (EU) 284/2011 on plastic kichenware imported from China and Hongkong
Please refer to the up-to-date version and changes of national acts or current consolidated version of the EU legislation in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry legislation register (in Finnish).