The Finnish Food Act (297/2021) also applies to materials and articles that come into contact with food. Under section 13 of the Act, food contact material operators (manufacturers, single market and third country importers, wholesale distributors) must notify the municipal food control authority about their location and the food contact material operations pursued there at least four (4) weeks prior to the start of operations. Notification must also be given even where food contact material operations take place solely in an online store. Notification is not required solely for retail sales of food contact materials.
An operator must also notify the municipal food control authority of any significant change in operations as well as of the suspension or discontinuation of operations.
Notification is made electronically through the Ilppa Environmental health care e-notification service (upcoming) or on a form available from the municipal authority.
Where an operator has food contact material operations in more than one location, separate notification must be sent to the municipal authority in each location.
The contact information of the local food control authority can be found on the Finnish Food Authority website here (Foodstuff>information-on-food>contact-food-control-authority).
The Finnish Food Authority has written Guide (No. 17018) on control of materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The guide also provides more detailed instructions on the obligation of food contact material operators to notify of their operations and the location of their operations.