{"id":10062,"date":"2025-10-15T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T05:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T16:16:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T13:16:00","slug":"new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Denmark Updates Food Contact Materials Regulation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Denmark has completed a public consultation on its proposed draft governing food contact materials (FCMs) and articles, a move that could reshape the nation\u2019s packaging standards. We outline the main points of the proposed Executive Order, its scope and the implications for businesses. If approved, the new rules will come into effect on January 1, 2026, replacing the existing legislation from 2020.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#A_New_Legal_Framework_for_Food_Contact_Materials\" >A New Legal Framework for Food Contact Materials<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Expanded_Application_and_New_Definitions\" >Expanded Application and New Definitions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Strengthened_Documentation_and_Testing_Requirements\" >Strengthened Documentation and Testing Requirements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Chemical_Restrictions_and_Special_Measures\" >Chemical Restrictions and Special Measures<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Enforcement_and_Penalties\" >Enforcement and Penalties<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Transition_and_Market_Implications\" >Transition and Market Implications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/new-denmark-food-contact-materials-regulation\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_New_Legal_Framework_for_Food_Contact_Materials\"><\/span><strong>A New Legal Framework for Food Contact Materials<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <strong>Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA)<\/strong> held the consultation during <strong>April and May 2025<\/strong>, focusing on the draft <em>Executive Order on Food Contact Materials and Penal Provisions for Violations of Related EU Legislation<\/em> (<a href=\"https:\/\/prodstoragehoeringspo.blob.core.windows.net\/3cf35ff4-cfca-4bc4-b319-08e5d9799f92\/Udkast%20til%20bekendtg%C3%B8relse%20om%20f%C3%B8devarekontaktmateraler.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Draft Order<\/a>). The proposal seeks to align Denmark\u2019s national requirements with existing EU frameworks, particularly <strong>Regulation (EC) No. 1935\/2004<\/strong> while introducing stricter measures in key areas such as ceramics, glassware, and paper-based materials.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expanded_Application_and_New_Definitions\"><\/span><strong>Expanded Application and New Definitions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under <strong>Section 1<\/strong>, the Draft Order clearly defines its application area; covering materials and articles that come into contact with food, including <strong>ceramics, enameled articles, glassware, and paper or cardboard<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Section 2<\/strong> introduces updated <strong>terminology<\/strong> for these materials, ensuring consistency with EU definitions and clarifying the scope of FCMs as outlined in Regulation (EC) No. 1935\/2004.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Strengthened_Documentation_and_Testing_Requirements\"><\/span><strong>Strengthened Documentation and Testing Requirements<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Section 5<\/strong> requires a <strong>Declaration of Compliance (DoC)<\/strong> to accompany FCMs at all stages prior to retail, <strong>extending also to ceramic articles<\/strong> up to the retail stage. This aims to ensure full traceability and compliance across the supply chain.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Testing requirements for <strong>ceramic and enameled articles<\/strong> are addressed under <strong>Section 10<\/strong>, which introduces new product categories and <strong>tighter migration limits<\/strong> for lead and cadmium. Testing procedures will align with Directive 84\/500\/EEC, ensuring standardized methods for assessing safety in products that contact food.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10057 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Denmarks-New-Food-Contact-Materials-Law-Consultation-2-e1760534033233.png\" alt=\"Denmark food contact materials regulation\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Chemical_Restrictions_and_Special_Measures\"><\/span><strong>Chemical Restrictions and Special Measures<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under <strong>Section 6<\/strong>, the proposal sets a strict limit of <strong>0.01 mg\/kg for vinyl chloride migration<\/strong>, reinforcing Denmark\u2019s focus on minimizing chemical risks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For <strong>regenerated cellulose films<\/strong> (Section 7), the Draft Order updates positive lists of permissible substances, ensuring greater transparency in material composition.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most notable measures appears in <strong>Section 12<\/strong>, where the use of <strong>per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)<\/strong> is <strong>prohibited<\/strong> in paper and cardboard FCMs \u2014 unless a <strong>functional barrier<\/strong> effectively prevents their migration into food.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Enforcement_and_Penalties\"><\/span><strong>Enforcement and Penalties<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To support compliance, <strong>Section 14<\/strong> sets forth <strong>penal provisions<\/strong> for violations of both Danish and EU-level FCM legislation. Offenders could face <strong>financial penalties<\/strong> or, in serious cases, <strong>imprisonment of up to two years<\/strong>. This shows Denmark\u2019s commitment to the strong enforcement of food safety standards.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Transition_and_Market_Implications\"><\/span><strong>Transition and Market Implications<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Once the Draft Order takes effect on <strong>January 1, 2026<\/strong>, it will <strong>repeal <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.retsinformation.dk\/eli\/lta\/2020\/681\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Executive Order No. 681<\/strong><\/a><strong> of May 25, 2020<\/strong>. However, products already on the market before this date that comply with earlier rules may continue to be sold <strong>until existing stocks are exhausted<\/strong>, offering businesses a window to adapt to the updated requirements.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Denmark\u2019s proposed draft on food contact materials marks a significant tightening of national packaging and food safety standards. By strengthening documentation, chemical restrictions, and enforcement provisions, the country aims to ensure higher consumer protection and environmental responsibility. The regulation\u2019s final adoption, expected before 2026, will be closely watched by manufacturers and importers across Europe seeking to align with Denmark\u2019s evolving regulatory landscape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Denmark has completed a public consultation on its proposed draft governing food contact materials (FCMs) and articles, a move that could reshape the nation\u2019s packaging standards. We outline the main points of the proposed Executive Order, its scope and the implications for businesses. If approved, the new rules will come into effect on January 1,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10058,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,545,540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-packaging-legislation-en","category-regulations-policy-en","category-28","category-545","category-540","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10062"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10064,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10062\/revisions\/10064"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10058"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}