Imports of plants and plant products in passengers' personal luggage and small consignments of goods sent to natural persons
Imports of plants, plant products and other items from third countries is subject to prohibitions and restrictions on import, in accordance with a special European Union (EU) regulation on the import of plants and plant products. These regulations are adopted to protect plants in the EU and keep them healthy. They also apply to passenger traffic and include bans and restrictions on imports of plants and plant products in passengers' personal luggage. They also apply to small consignments of goods sent to natural persons (by post or courier service) which are not intended to be placed on the market.
Prohibition of imports of plants and plant products
Plants, plant products and other items whose import into the EU is strictly prohibited are defined by the following regulations:
These plants, plant products and other items, including dangerous pests to which they are infected, are prohibited from being imported into the EU in any quantity and are mandatorily confiscated from passengers.
Restriction of imports of plants and plant products
Certain types of plants, plant products and other items may be imported into the EU by travelers in their personal luggage if they hold a phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent phytosanitary body of the third country from which they come.
The list of plants and plant products permitted to be imported with a third country phytosanitary certificate is defined by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 in:
- Annex XI, part A and part B
- Annex XII.
It is emphasized that imports are allowed, with mandatory possession of a phytosanitary certificate, only in quantities intended for the personal use of the passengers or members of their family.
Import of seeds and plants for planting
Seeds and plants for planting in passengers' personal luggage shall be allowed to be imported into the EU with a phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent phytosanitary authority of the third country from which the travelers come. The traveler is obliged to submit an application for phytosanitary inspection of seeds and plants for planting at the border inspection post (BIP), which is performed by phytosanitary inspectors of the State Inspectorate of the Republic of Croatia.
BIP’s where official controls of plants and plant products are performed are: Bajakovo, Karasovići, Nova Sela, Ploče (maritime port), Rijeka (maritime port), Stara Gradiška and Zagreb - airport. Imports of seeds and plants for planting in passengers' personal luggage are not allowed through other border crossings of the Republic of Croatia.
Seeds and plants for planting that are on the list of prohibited species and for which no mandatory phytosanitary inspection has been carried out shall be seized from passengers.
Exceptions to import bans and restrictions
The following fruit is exempt from the above phytosanitary regulations and does not require a phytosanitary certificate:
- pineapple, fresh or dry (pineapple comosus),
- coconut, fresh or dry, whether peeled or not (cocos nucifera),
- durian (durio zibethinus),
- bananas, including cooking bananas, fresh or dry(musa),
- dates, fresh or dry (phoenix dactylifera).
Treatment in case of non-compliance at imports
Plants, plant products and other supervised items that do not meet the above conditions shall be considered non-compliant and shall be compulsorily confiscated from passengers for their destruction. Also, the failure to explicitly declare them to customs officers constitutes an offence sanctioned by a fine.
Competent authorities
Customs officers at border crossing points carry out official controls on plants, plant products and other items that form part of the passenger's personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption or use.
Further detailed information can be requested from competent authority responsible for the implementation of phytosanitary regulations and measures: State Inspectorate, Agricultural Supervision and Phytosanitary Supervision Sector, Phytosanitary Inspection, Šubićeva 29, Zagreb.
Additional information
https://ec.europa.eu/food/plants/plant-health-and-biosecurity/trade-plants-plant-products-non-eu-countries_hr#passengers-luggage