Health and consumer protection for animal and plant product
This page serves as a reference document only for EU-wide product requirements. Extra requirements may apply depending on the destination EU country. Please refer to My Trade Assistant for full details.
Please be aware that in this page, general description of each heading is provided in all EU languages. However, the details are only available in English.
Animal health
Compulsory conditions for animals and products of animal origin to be imported into the EU (Country Health approval, Approved establishment, Health certificates, Health controls, Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED)
Health control of live animals
Live animals can only be imported into the EU if they come from a third country included in a positive list of eligible countries for the relevant animal, are accompanied by the proper certificates and have succeeded the mandatory controls at the pertinent Member State's border inspection post (BIP).
Health control of products of animal origin for human consumption
Imports of products of animal origin intended for human consumption must comply with the following health requirements related to, among others, the health conditions related to the public and the livestock protection, country health approval, and approved establishments.
Health control of products of animal origin not intended for human consumption
EU imports of animal products not intended for human consumption must comply with general rules public and animal health. This is done to guarantee high health and safety levels throughout the food and feed chains and avoid the spread of diseases dangerous to livestock or humans.
Health control of fishery products intended for human consumption
Imports of fishery and aquaculture products for human consumption must comply with general health requirements related to health approval by an authorised country, an approved establishment, health certificates, and health control.
Health control of fishery products not intended for human consumption
Imports of fishery and aquaculture products not for human consumption must comply with general health requirements related to health approval by an authorised country, an approved establishment, health certificates, and health control.
Health control of semen, ova and embryos
Imports of semen, ova and embryos of animals into the European Union must aim to guarantee the absence of specific pathogens that might be conveyed by these products, and to avoid contamination of female recipients and their offspring.
Plant health
Protective measures against the introduction into the EU of plants, organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread
Plant health control
EU imports of plant products and any material capable of harbouring plant pests (e.g. wooden products, soil, etc) may be subject to protective measures. This is to prevent the introduction and/or spread of organisms harmful to plants or plant products crossing the EU boundaries.
Food and feed safety
Imports of foodstuffs and feeding stuffs of non-animal origin are only authorised if they comply with general conditions and specific provisions designed to prevent risks to human and animal health
Traceability, compliance and responsibility in food and feed
Food and feed cannot be placed on the market in the European Union (EU) if they are unsafe. EU Food Law pursues not only a high level of protection of human life and health and consumers’ interests but also the protection of animal health and welfare, plant health and the environment.
Health control of feedingstuffs of non-animal origin
EU imports of feedingstuffs of non-animal origin are only authorised if they come from establishments which have a representative in the EU and comply with general and specific rules designed to prevent risk to human and animal health and protect the environment.
Health control of foodstuffs of non-animal origin
Imports of foodstuffs of non-animal origin into the European Union (EU) must comply with general conditions and specific provisions designed to prevent risk to public health and protect consumers' interests.
Health control of articles in contact with food products
Any materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (directly or indirectly) must comply with EU requirements designed to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the interests of consumers.
Health control of genetically modified (GM) food and novel food
Imports into the EU of genetically modified (GM) food and of novel food must comply with specific authorisation procedures, in order to ensure the highest level of protection of human health.
Health and labelling control of tobacco products
All tobacco products imported into the EU must comply with the new legal framework (applicable from 20 May 2016) that governs the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in order to protect public health and consumers’ interests.
Control of chemical substances in food
Imports of foodstuffs and feeding stuffs are only authorised if they do not contain chemical residues (i.e. veterinary medicines, pesticides and contaminants) at levels which could threaten human health
Control of residues of veterinary medicines in animals and animal products for human consumption
EU imports of animal products for human consumption are only permitted if they comply with EU legislation that limits the amount of chemical substances and residues allowed in live animals and animal products.
Control of contaminants in foodstuffs
Imports into the EU of foodstuffs should comply with EU legislation designed to ensure that food placed on the market is safe to eat and does not contain contaminants at levels which could threaten human health.
Control of pesticide residues in plant and animal products intended for human consumption
Imports of plant and animal products intended for human consumption which may have pesticide residues are only permitted when complying with EU legislation designed to control the presence of chemical substances and residues in live animals, animal products and products of plant origin.
Marketing (quality) standards for agricultural and fishery products
Certain agricultural and fishery products that are supplied fresh to the consumer must comply with common marketing and quality standards which relate to a variety of aspects (freshness, size, quality, presentation, tolerances, marking, etc.) and may be monitored by means of documental and/or physical inspections.
Marketing standards for eggs for hatching and farmyard poultry chicks
Eggs for hatching and chicks imported into the EU must have clear indications of their purpose and country of origin. Only those of the same species, category and poultry type are allowed to be packed together.
Marketing standards for eggs
Imported hen eggs, suitable for human consumption or for use in the food industries, may not be placed on the European Union (EU) market unless they comply with EU rules on grading, marking, and labelling/packaging.
Marketing standards for certain fishery products
Certain fishery products may only be imported from third countries and marketed within the European Union (EU) if they satisfy EU rules on classification by freshness, size or weight categories, packaging, presentation and labelling.
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables which are intended to be sold fresh to the consumer in the EU, may only be marketed if they are sound, fair and of marketable quality and if the country of origin is indicated as per EU regulations. Special provisions are laid down for imports of such products from India, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Türkiye and South Africa.
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from India
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from Kenya
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from Morocco
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from Senegal
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from Türkiye
Marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables from South Africa
Marketing standards for fresh bananas
Imported bananas must comply with EU rules in areas such as quality, sizing, presentation, etc. before being put on the market.
Marketing standards for hemp
(Only required for hemp seeds) Imported hemp seeds must undergo checks in areas such as purpose and tretrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.
Marketing standards for hops
Hops and hop products may be imported into EU only if they prove that their quality standards are at least equivalent to the minimum marketing requirements established by the EU.
Marketing standards for natural mineral water
The use of descriptions and definitions of natural mineral water is compulsory to export bottled water to the EU market, as well as meeting standard quality criteria.
Marketing standards for olive oil
The use of descriptions and definitions of olive oils and olive-pomace oils is compulsory to export olive oils to the EU market, as well as meeting standard quality criteria.
Marketing standards for poultry meat
Imported poultry meat must comply with EU rules in areas such as preservation, grading criteria, labelling and water content before being put on the market.
Marketing standards for preserved sardines
Imported preserved sardines must comply with EU rules in areas such as species type, presentation, covering media, sterilisation, etc. before being put on the EU market.
Marketing requirements for seeds and plant propagating material
Seeds and plant propagating material entering the EU market must comply with specific EU legislation on marketing requirements. These are designed to ensure that products meet criteria for health and high-quality as well as the protection of biodiversity.
Marketing standards for preserved tuna and bonito
Preserved tuna and bonito imported into the EU must follow marketing standards regarding the use of fish species, homogeneity, covering medium, trade description, etc. before being put on the EU market.
Certificate and analysis report for wine, grape juice and must
Import clearance of wine, grape must and grape juice requires a V I 1 Document, which is a certificate of the analysis report done by an official laboratory recognised by the third country.
Products from organic production
Description of the organic production scheme which aims at the promotion of quality goods and the integration of environmental conservation into agriculture.