Documents You Need to Import Food into the EU

Importing food into the European Union means more than paying for the goods and booking a vessel. Customs and food safety authorities need to see that the shipment is legal, safe and correctly described. The exact set of documents depends on the product, but most food imports involve the following.

Core trade documents

• Commercial invoice: describes the goods, quantities, price, Incoterm and parties.
• Packing list: shows how the goods are packed, with weights and marks.
• Transport document: a bill of lading for sea freight, or an air waybill or CMR for air and road.
• Certificate of origin, where needed to claim preferential duty or to prove origin.

Food safety and health documents

Products of animal origin, such as meat, fish and dairy, normally need an official health certificate issued by the exporting country, and must come from approved establishments. Such consignments are notified in advance through the EU’s TRACES system and checked at a border control post. Some plant products also need phytosanitary certificates.

Fishery products from wild catch generally need a catch certificate under the EU rules against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Customs declaration and registration

Importers need an EORI number to lodge customs declarations. The declaration states the commodity code, customs value and origin, and determines the import duty and VAT to be paid. A customs broker can prepare it on your behalf.

Labelling

Food sold in the EU must be labelled in line with EU rules, including ingredients, allergens, date marking and the name of the responsible food business operator. Labels are normally required in the language of the country of sale.

Rules change and differ by product and country. This article is general information only, so always confirm current requirements with your customs broker or the competent authority before shipping.