An application for market authorisation in the European Union of a novel food must be submitted electronically to the European Commission. There are two different application procedures.
Application procedure for a novel food and updating the Union list
In order to place a novel food on the market in the European Union you can choose the application procedure for a novel food and updating of the Union list.
The administrative and scientific requirements for this application are described in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2469. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has prepared a guidance on the preparation and presentation of an application for authorisation of a novel food.
When preparing your application, you can consult the Union list of novel foods. This is a generic overview of all novel foods approved thus far in the European Union. It contains the conditions of use, labelling requirements and the specifications. The Union list is updated by the European Commission with newly authorised novel foods.
Procedure for notification of a traditional food from a third country and updating the Union list
If you wish to market a traditional food from a third country in the European Union, you can choose the procedure for notification of a traditional food from a third country.
The administrative and scientific requirements for this application are described in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2468. The EFSA has prepared a guidance on the preparation and presentation of the notification and application for authorisation of traditional foods from third countries.