Article 10(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 provides for a possibility to adopt guidelines for the implementation of that Article on specific conditions for health claims.

Both national control authorities and food business operators have raised questions about the implementation of paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. In order to ensure consistency in the application of those provisions and to facilitate the work of the control authorities and ensure greater clarity and certainty for economic operators, it is appropriate to issue guidelines.

The guidelines set out in the Annex to this Decision should be taken into account by the national control authorities and food business operators. Interested parties, in particular food business operators and consumer groups, have been consulted on 12 October 2012.