Animal products and foodstuffs

Do not import any animal products into the Netherlands from outside the EU. And also do not order them, for example, through the internet. In the EU strict requirements apply to the import of animal products and food. Examples: cheese, milk and milk products, eggs, meat, fresh or processed fishing products, skins, game trophies. Do you nevertheless still want to import animal products and food into the EU? Then you almost always need a health certificate.

Health certificate

The country of departure will issue the certificate. The embassy of this country can tell you where you can get it. When you enter the EU, your products will be inspected by veterinary experts.

Exceptions: fish and caviar

You may take up to 20 kilos of fish or fish products for consumption when you travel to the Netherlands from a country outside the EU. This only applies to fish that is not protected and to products that include non-protected fish.

Exception: caviar, of which you may import at most 125 grams. But only if the package is sealed with a CITES label.

When the value exceeds € 430, you have to pay tax on the amount.

Sweets, powder milk or special food

Sometimes you do not need a health certificate and you may import your product without a problem. For example, sweets and chocolate. In these products the animal component is not recognisable anymore.

You may also import powder milk for infants, infant's food and special food for medical purposes without a health certificate. This is subject to the following conditions:

  • You may import at most 2 kilograms of infant's food products.
  • The products do not have to be cooled before consumption.
  • It concerns packed products of a registered trademark.
  • The packing is unused and undamaged.

Does the powder milk for infants come from Croatia, the Faroe Islands, Greece or Iceland? Then you may import at most 10 kilograms.

Does the powder milk for infants come from a country of the European Union, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland? Then you may import unlimited powder milk for infants.

More information?

If so, check the website of the Nederlandse voedsel- en warenautoriteit (NVWA) (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority).

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