16.12.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 334/1 (Legislative acts) DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2011/91/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2011 on indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs (codification) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: (1) Council Directive 89/396/EEC of 14 June 1989 on indi- cations or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs () has been substantially amended several times (). In the interests of clarity and rationality that Directive should be codified. (2)  The internal market comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured. (3)  Trade in foodstuffs occupies a very important place in the internal market. (") OJ C 54, 19.2.2011, p. 34. (?) Position of the European Parliament of 11 May 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 8 November 2011. () OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 21. (%) See Annex I, Part A. (4)  Indication of the lot to which a foodstuff belongs meets the need for better information on the identity of products. It is therefore a useful source of information when foodstuffs are the subject of dispute or constitute a health hazard for consumers. (5)  Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (°) contains no provisions on indication of lot identification. (6) At international level there is a general obligation to provide a reference to the manufacturing or packaging lot of prepackaged foodstuffs. It is the duty of the Union to contribute to the development of international trade. (7) It is therefore advisable to provide for rules of a general and horizontal nature in order to manage a common lot identification system. (8)  The efficiency of that system depends on its application at the various marketing stages. It is nevertheless desirable to exclude certain products and operations, in particular those taking place at the start of the distribution network for agricultural products. (9) It is necessary to take account of the fact that the immediate consumption upon purchase of certain foodstuffs such as ice cream in individual portions means that indicating the lot directly on the individual packaging would serve no useful purpose. However, it should be compulsory in the case of those products to indicate the lot on the combined package. () O] L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29.