We provide specialised legal advisory services at every stage of the food and feed production and distribution chain – from the assessment of the composition and labelling, through sanitary and registration procedures, to matters related to advertising, marketing communication and crisis risk management. Our experts help businesses safely and lawfully place products onto the market while effectively protecting their commercial interests in dealings with suppliers, regulatory authorities and consumers. We also offer legal assistance in areas such as special purpose foods, dietary supplements and borderline products. Our services also cover industry self-regulation, ethical communication and compliance support.
Food law
- support with the legal aspects of food production, importing and distribution
- legal assessment of ingredients, labelling and advertising materials, including in terms of product classification, content of additives, limits of impurity, nutritional values, nutritional and health claims, claims for natural mineral water, novel food, ecological (bio/eco) farming regulations, “natural/traditional”, “GMO free” etc. expressions
- advice on approvals of plants, reporting to the State County Sanitary Inspector/Chief Sanitary Inspector, legal aspects of the production process, e.g. sanitary and epidemiological issues
- requirements of materials intended to come into contact with food
- securing contractual relationships, e.g. with suppliers of raw materials, regarding contract production, between chains and suppliers, regarding private labels
- all categories of products from general food and beverages to dietary supplements and food for special medical purposes (FSMP)
- comprehensive support in crisis situations in connection with finding non-compliance, suspension of sales, recall from the market, reporting to the RASFF
- legal consultations when preparing procedures, including those related to HACCP, GMP and GHP
- advice on requirements that are unique to the HORECA sector
- monitoring changes in legislation, guidelines and self-regulation
- training for members of the management board, quality departments, regulatory departments, marketing and sales departments and others
- representation before administrative authorities, including IJHARS, the Sanitary Inspectorate, the Veterinary Inspectorate and cases before the administrative courts
- representation before other bodies, e.g. the Advertising Ethics Council
- legal support in other countries in cooperation with specialist foreign law firm
- cooperation with technical experts
Dietary supplements
- disputes regarding the properties of a medicinal product, including clarification proceedings before the Registration Office and the Pharmaceutical Inspectorate
- support with creating and holding umbrella brand communications (umbrella branding)
- qualification of borderline products (especially medicinal products/dietary supplements/fortified food/food for general consumption)
- assessment of self-regulation, e.g., Code of Good Practice in the Advertising of Dietary Supplements, Broadcasters’ Agreement
- support in the legal aspects of production, importing and distribution
- comprehensive support in crisis situations (including RASFF)
Pet food/feed
- support in the legal aspects of production, importing and distribution:
- legal assessment of depots, labelling and advertising materials
- advisory services on approvals of plants, notification to the National Veterinary Research Institute (PIWET), legal aspects of the production process, including regulation of animal by-products
- securing contractual relationships, e.g. with suppliers of raw materials, contract production, between chains and suppliers, regarding private labels
- taking account of the borderline regarding medicated feeds / premixes / feed additives / compound feeds / feed materials
- support on the basis of legislation, as well as industry self-regulation,
e.g., “Code of good labelling practice for pet food” - communication to and cooperation with veterinarians from a legal point of view, high ethical standards and principles of compliance
- aspects of animal welfare
- comprehensive support in crisis situations in connection with the declaration of non-compliance, stopping sales, recall from the market, reporting to the RASFF