The EU has established a comprehensive legislative framework laying out specific product requirements notably aimed at protecting:
- Human and animal health;
- The environment; and/or
- Consumers rights.
Around 85% of product requirements are harmonised at the EU level, which means that they apply uniformly across all EU Member States, while other requirements still vary from EU Member State to EU Member State. To determine the specific rules for a particular product in a given EU Member State, traders can consult the EU’s My Trade Assistant.
For a general overview of all EU product requirements, please check the dedicated page on the EU’s Access2Markets website and the dedicated page of the European Commission.
The EU has established a comprehensive framework for general safety, health, and consumer protection requirements for non-food products not subject to specific regulations. The EU also relies on a solid framework for market surveillance geared towards ensuring the safety of non-food products.
For a comprehensive overview of the EU requirements on general product safety, please check the dedicated websiteon the EU’s Access2Markets website and the dedicated pages on market surveillance for productsand on product safety by the European Commission.
The EU has established strict health and consumer protection standards for animal products and plant products to ensure food safety and quality. Key areas of focus include animal health, plant health, food safety, chemical control in food, and marketing standards.
Products must:
- Originate from approved countries and, where applicable, approved establishments;
- Undergo rigorous health inspections; and
- Present appropriate certificates upon entry.
For a comprehensive overview of EU requirements on health and consumer protection for animal products and plant products in the EU, please check the dedicated webpage on the EU’s Access2Markets website.
The EU employs an origin-listing approach to mitigate risks and facilitate the export of specific products. In this context, CEFTA exporters to the EU should carefully consider whether the origin of their traded products is listed, allowing the importation of the relevant product into the EU.
- Animal products
The EU only allows imports of animals and animal products from non-EU origins (including products from aquaculture) that are specifically listed in certain EU legal instruments:
Relevant products will need to originate from an EU-approved establishment.
The EU’s Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) system allows to search for establishments approved by the EU to export certain animal products.
For more information on the import rules for animals and animal products, please check the EU’s Access2Markets dedicated website, and the dedicated page detailing the entry conditions for animals and animal products of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE).
- Plant products
Plants and plant products imported into the EU from non-EU origins must generally be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate to ensure that they are free from pests and diseases. This certificate is issued by the plant protection authority at origin. While some exemptions exist, particularly for certain fruits and scientific purposes, the primary goal is to protect European agriculture. Additionally, import prohibitions apply to plant products from areas categorised as having a specific risk.
To check if your product is subject to these or other requirements, please check the page dedicated to trade in plants & plant products from non-EU origins of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE).
- Control of chemical substances in food and feed
The EU imposes strict regulations on food and feed safety, particularly regarding residues of veterinary medicines, pesticides, and contaminants. Products imported into the EU must adhere to these standards. Compliance with relevant rules and regulations is essential for successful exports to the EU.
The list of origins with approved residue control plans for animals and relevant animal products is set out in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405.
For more information on the import rules for products subject to residue control plans, please check the EU’s Access2Markets dedicated website and the dedicated page regarding residues of veterinary medicinal products of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE).
The EU has extensive product labelling and packaging requirements covering various product categories, including for foodstuffs, textiles and clothing, footwear, and cosmetics.
The requirements are laid out in various legal instruments that aim to ensure that consumers receive accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions, as well as to ensure a high level of consumer protection.
For an exhaustive account of the labelling and packaging requirements that apply to products in the EU, please check the EU’s Access2Markets dedicated website and the dedicated page on product requirements of the European Commission.