In 2015, Lithuania proposed to introduce a requirement for alcoholic beverages to display a warning regarding the dangers of drinking when pregnant. With a similar logo already mandatory in France and provided voluntarily in other EU Member States, spirits producers were keen to ensure that such existing logos and messages would be accepted in Lithuania and that they will not insist on a new market-specific design.
When the follow-up draft law was notified earlier this year it was reassuring that the proposed logo was identical to the one in France and that, in any event, other logos or messages were fully acceptable. While we have had to seek clarification regarding aspects of the placement of the logo, by far our largest concern is that Lithuania wants labels to comply by 1 November 2016. Given that the draft law could still be changed, producers clearly cannot start to amend labels until they know precisely what is required. We have therefore asked for a meaningful transition period of 18 months at least from the entry into force of the law. It is worth noting that the new EU food labelling law granted a 3-year transition period!
