1. FASFC
  2. Import into Belgium
  3. Going on a holiday
  4. Animal foodstuffs

Animal Foodstuffs

BEWARE THAT NOT ALL HOLIDAY SOUVENIRS CAN BE TAKEN HOME!

Food products of animal origin

Your holiday has come to an end and you want to take home a memento of that wonderful trip. A local cheese, a dried ham or a jar of honey - a tasty souvenir to enjoy back home. But beware: you cannot put just anything in your suitcase! Food products of animal origin such as meat, milk and dairy products may carry pathogens that can spread dangerous animal diseases. In order to keep diseases such as swine fever out of the European Union strict import regulations are in place. So you better think twice before putting a souvenir in your suitcase!

 

Do you want to bring animal products from countries outside the EU into Belgium? Do your research first!

Are you returning from a country outside the European Union (a third country)?  Then do not bring meat, meat products, milk or dairy products for your personal use in your luggage.

As an exception to this rule, travellers may bring in small quantities of powdered infant milk, infant food, and special foods or special pet feed required for medical reasons.  However, these products must meet a few requirements:

  • They must not weigh more than 2 kg
  • They do not require refrigeration before opening.
  • They are packaged proprietary brand products.
  • The packaging of the products is unbroken (unless in current use).
  • The products are intended for the travellers themselves or for the pets accompanying them.

In addition, travellers are allowed to bring in up to 20 kg of fishery products for personal consumption (including fish and certain shellfish such as dead prawns, lobsters, mussels and oysters) or the weight of one fish if this is higher.

You may bring in up to 2 kg of other animal products, such as honey, eggs, live oysters, live mussels and snails. The detailed rules can be found in the list (PDF) of animal products for personal use.

These rules do not apply to animal products transported between EU Member States, or to animal products coming from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino or Switzerland. Nonetheless, caution is still warranted! After all, travellers can also unintentionally spread animal diseases, such as African swine fever (PDF), within the territory of the EU.

 

Want to know more?  Interesting links and legislation

  • 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 exempted from official controls at border control posts, specific controls on passengers’ personal luggage and on small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.
  • Annex III of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2122 provides an overview of the products that are allowed/prohibited and, where applicable, the quantities that may be brought into the EU.
Last updated: 06/03/2025