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Transport of animal products to the EU
Let's protect the European Union from animal diseases.
Animal products may contain pathogens that cause infectious diseases.
Due to the risk of disease introduction into the European Union (EU) (1), strict procedures apply to the introduction of certain products of animal origin into the EU. These procedures do not apply to the transport of animal products between EU Member States or to animal products in small quantities for personal consumption from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.
Any animal products that do not meet these requirements must be surrendered upon arrival in the EU for disposal under official supervision. Failure to declare such products may result in fines or criminal prosecution.
The following goods may be imported into the EU provided they meet the conditions and weight limits set out in points 1-5 below:
1. Small amounts of meat and milk and meat and dairy products (other than powdered infant formula, other infant formula, food for special medical purposes and pet food required for health reasons).
Personal consumption shipments containing meat, milk, meat products or dairy products (other than powdered infant formula, other infant formula, food for special medical purposes and pet food required for health reasons) may only be brought into or sent to the EU provided they originate from the Faroe Islands or Greenland and do not exceed 10 kg per person.
2. Powdered infant milk, other infant formulae and food for special medical purposes.
Personally sized shipments containing powdered infant formula, other infant formula and food for special medical purposes may only be brought into the EU provided that:
— they come from the Faroe Islands or Greenland and their combined weight does not exceed 10 kg per person, and that:
- the product does not require refrigeration until consumption,
- the product is a packaged company product and
- the packaging is intact unless its contents are currently in use.
— they come from other countries (other than the Faroe Islands or Greenland) and their total weight does not exceed 2 kg per person, and that:
- the product does not require refrigeration until consumption,
- the product is a packaged company product and
- the packaging is intact unless its contents are currently in use.
3. Pet food required for health reasons.
Personal consumption shipments containing pet food required for health reasons for a pet accompanying the passenger may only be brought into the EU provided that:
— they come from the Faroe Islands or Greenland and their combined weight does not exceed 10 kg per person, and that:
- the product does not require refrigeration until consumption,
- the product is a packaged company product and
- the packaging is intact unless its contents are currently in use.
— they come from other countries (other than the Faroe Islands or Greenland) and their total weight does not exceed 2 kg per person, and that:
- the product does not require refrigeration until consumption,
- the product is a packaged company product and
- the packaging is intact unless its contents are currently in use.
4. Small quantities of fishery products intended for individual human consumption.
Consignments of fishery products for personal use (including fresh, dried, cooked, cured or smoked fish and certain shellfish such as shrimp, lobster, dead mussels and dead oysters) may only be brought into or sent to the EU provided that:
— fresh fish are gutted,
— the weight of fishery products per person does not exceed 20 kg or the weight of one fish if that fish weighs at least 20 kg.
These restrictions do not apply to fishery products from the Faroe Islands or Greenland.
5. Small amounts of other animal products intended for individual human consumption.
Other products of animal origin, such as honey, live oysters, live mussels and snails, may only be brought into or sent to the EU provided that:
— they come from the Faroe Islands or Greenland and their total weight does not exceed 10 kg per person,
— they come from other countries (other than the Faroe Islands or Greenland) and their total weight does not exceed 2 kg per person.
Note: You may import or send to the EU small quantities of animal products from several of the above five categories (points 1 to 5) at the same time, provided that the products meet the conditions set out in the relevant points.
6. Larger amounts of animal products.
You can only bring in or send larger quantities of animal products into the EU if they meet the requirements for commercial shipments, including:
— certification requirements set out in the relevant EU official certificate,
— requirements for the presentation of goods and relevant documentation upon entry into the EU at an EU border inspection post.
7. Products exempt from restrictions.
The following products are exempt from the provisions set out in points 1 to 6 provided that they comply with Article 3(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630 (2):
— confectionery (including sweets), chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa,
— pasta, noodles and couscous,
— bread, cakes and pastries, biscuits, wafers and wafers, rusks, toasted bread and similar toasted products,
— olives stuffed with fish,
— extracts, essences and concentrates of coffee, tea or maté and preparations with a basis of these products or with a basis of coffee, tea or maté,
— roasted chicory and other roasted coffee substitutes and their extracts, essences and concentrates,
— broths and soup spices packaged for the final consumer,
— dietary supplements packaged for the final consumer containing processed animal products (including glucosamine, chondroitin or chitosan),
— liqueurs and cordials.
(1) In accordance with the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 5(4) of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, read in conjunction with Annex 2 to that Protocol, references to the European Union in this Annex include the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630 of 16 February 2021 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain categories of goods exempt from official controls at border control posts and amending Commission Decision 2007/275/EC (OJ L 132, 19.4.2021, p. 17).
Source: Annex III to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122 of 10 October 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain categories of animals and goods exempt from official controls at border control posts and as regards specific checks on passengers' personal luggage and small consignments of goods sent to natural persons and not intended to be placed on the market and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.