Translation from Lithuanian Translation from Lithuanian GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA R E S O L U T I O N No.35 On the Approval of the Order of Foodstuffs Import into the Republic of Lithuania and Their Quality Control Vilnius, 9 January 1995 With the aim of protecting Lithuanian market from foodstuffs of low quality and hazardous to human health the Government of the Republic of Lithuania r e s o l v e s: To approve the order of import foodstuffs into the Republic of Lithuania and their quality control (attached). The Order of Foodstuffs Import into the Republic of Lithuania and Their Quality Control comes into force three months after it is published in the Records. Prime Minister Adolfas Ðleþevièius Minister of Health Antanas Vinkus APPROVED by Resolution No. 35 of 9 January 1995 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Order of Foodstuffs Import into the Republic of Lithuania and Their Quality Control Import of Foodstuffs
- Only the foodstuffs that meet the quality and non-hazard to health requirements laid down in the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania shall be imported into the Republic of Lithuania. Foodstuffs are processed and semi-processed foodstuffs, raw materials, dishes, food additives, chewing gum and beverages, used for human nutrition and satisfaction of habits.
- The legal responsibility regarding the quality of foodstuffs and non-hazard to health is assumed by their owners.
- Foodstuffs shall be imported into the Republic of Lithuania through those border crossing points where frontier foodstuff control service is available.
- Formalities in connection with Customs transit procedure for the transportation of foodstuffs from the customs office at the border crossing point of the Republic of Lithuania to the customs office inside the customs territory (inward transit) shall be carried out only upon the presention of a certificate or certificates, enumerated in the list of foodstuffs that can be imported into the Republic of Lithuania only upon the presention of certificates. The certificates shall contain the indicators of quality and non-hazard to health, which shall satisfy the requirements covered by the regulations of the Republic of Lithuania.
- The certificates shall be in Lithuanian (or one of the following languages: English, German, Russian) and marked "Entry permitted" or "Additional control required" by the frontier foodstuff control service of the Republic of Lithuania. The marks shall contain the name of the border crossing point of the Republic of Lithuania, the name of the authority that carried out the foodstuff quality control, the name of the officer (or his personal number), signature and date.
- The officers of the frontier foodstuff control service shall mark the certificates with "Additional control required" in the following cases: when the indicators of foodstuff quality and non-hazard to health do not meet the requirements laid down in the regulations of the Republic of Lithuania; when the above mentioned indicators are defined in the certificates not fully, with mistakes or not understandably; when the conditions of transportation do not meet the requirements; when violations of packaging and marking of goods are found (when there is a possibility to examine the consignment of foodstuffs). In other cases the mark "Entrance permitted" is stamped.
- The importer of the goods imported into the Republic of Lithuania and marked "Additional control required" shall submit the goods for examination as laid down in para 11 of the latter Order.
- When foodstuffs are transported in transit through the customs territory from the customs office of one border crossing point of the Republic of Lithuania to the customs office of the other border crossing point of the Republic of Lithuania (external transit) no documents certifying the quality of goods and non-hazard to health are required, except the veterinary certificate (when so required according to the list of foodstuffs that can be imported into the Republic of Lithuania only on the presentation of certificates).
- The importer acquires the right to sell the foodstuffs imported into the Republic of Lithuania only in case he holds the documents certifying the quality and non-hazard to health: the certificate (certificates) issued on each consignment as laid down in the list of foodstuffs, that can be imported into the Republic of Lithuania only upon the presentation of certificates, and marked "Entrance permitted" by the frontier foodstuff control service; the permit to sell the consignment of food stuffs imported into the Republic of Lithuania issued by the control institution (State Public Health Care Service or State Veterinary Service) . This document, issued as provided for in para 11, is required only when the certificate is marked "Additional control required". The importer shall keep the originals of the documents until the foodstuff shelf life expires. Foodstuff Quality Control in the Domestic Market
- A company when buying foodstuffs takes over all the responsibility concerning the foodstuffs. It shall make sure that the goods are of good quality, non-hazardous to health, shall check if all the documents are in due order. Each consignment shall be accompanied by the following documents: 10.
- initial financial statements having legal power, containing the name of the institution that has issued the permit of the entrance of the goods or their sale in the Republic of Lithuania and the date of issuing the permit placed beside each item of the consignment; 10.
- copies of certificates duly marked (as provided for in para 5 of this Order) for each item of the commodity.
- When the certificate issued for foodstuffs marked "Additional control required" and additional examination of their quality and non-hazard to health is required the examination is carried out as laid down in the regulations of the Republic of Lithuania. The importer shall apply to the local office of the institution carrying out the examination in the first place of unloading the goods, the name of the institution is given in the list of foodstuffs that can be imported into the Republic of Lithuania only upon the presentation of certificates. The necessary tests are carried out by the accredited and recommended laboratories irrespective of the institution they belong to. In order to carry out the examination and evaluation of foodstuff quality and non-hazard to health indicators assistance may be sought from the experts of other institutions (State Quality Service, State Plant Quarantine Service, etc.). The controlling institution decides if the permit to sell foodstuffs in the Republic of Lithuania may be issued on the basis of the results of the examination. The expenses of the tests are covered by the owner of the goods.
- Confiscation of foodstuffs in the name of the state shall be possible only in the order laid down in the laws of the Republic of Lithuania.
- Confiscated foodstuffs that satisfy all the requirements of quality and non-hazard to health as laid down in the legislation of the Republic of Lithuania shall be transferred, in the presence of city (region) State Tax Inspectorates, to trade organizations contracted for selling these goods at market prices.
- Foodstuffs that do not satisfy the requirements of quality and non-hazard to health laid down in the regulations of the Republic of Lithuania shall be destroyed on the decision of the officers of respective institutions (unless they can be processed, used as animal feed or for other purposes).
- The destruction of foodstuffs (by physical, chemical or biological means) shall be controlled by the officer having made the decision. He shall be present while the foodstuffs are being destroyed and while the act of the destruction of the foodstuffs is being drawn. _________________________