Fresh vegetables, berries and fruits
Import requirements and restrictions have been imposed on the import of plants and plant products from outside the EU and from within the EU in connection with plant health inspections, compliance with marketing standards and product safety.
The aim is to prevent plant pests from entering Finland and the rest of the EU and to ensure the quality and safety of the products with
- plant health inspections
- controls of compliance with marketing standards
- product safety control sampling
- Finnish Customs is responsible for plant health inspections of fresh fruits, vegetables and berries when they are imported from outside the EU.
- The Finnish Food Authority is responsible for arranging the inspections of plant products. Read more on the Food Authority’s website “Importing plants and plant products from outside the EU”.Linkki toiselle sivustolle
- Plant health inspections focus on dangerous pests and plant diseases that are harmful to plant production. Upon importation, all products subject to plant health inspections must have a valid phytosanitary certificate granted by the country of origin.
Finnish Customs is responsible for monitoring the compliance with marketing standards of fresh fruits, vegetables and berries, when they are imported from outside the EU or brought in from another EU Member State for commercial purposes.
Customs checks the compliance with marketing standards in connection with the import or export.
Special requirements are laid down for ten fruits and vegetables:
- apples
- citrus fruits (lemons, mandarins, satsumas, clementines, oranges)
- kiwifruit
- salads (curled-leaved and broad-leaved endives, not including potted salads)
- peaches and nectarines
- pears
- strawberries
- peppers
- grapes
- tomatoes
Special marketing standards require that the products in question are sorted and classified as Extra Class I or Class II. Furthermore, their packaging and accompanying documents must have the required labels. The products must also comply with the general marketing standards (minimum standards).
Other fresh fruits and vegetables meant for consumers must comply with general marketing standards. These fruits and vegetables do not need to be classified, but they must meet minimum standards. Furthermore, for traceability, the packaging of such fruits and vegetables must have the name and address of the packager or sender (consignor) as well as the country of origin of the produce. Products under the general standard must be fit for use, i.e.
- intact
- healthy (for example not rotten, badly bruised or badly damaged)
- clean
- fresh looking
- almost free from pests
- free from damage caused by pests affecting the flesh
- free of abnormal external moisture
- free of any foreign smell and/or taste
- sufficiently developed/ripe, but not overdeveloped/overripe
Both products with general and with specific requirements are checked in the context of internal market trade. If a batch does not meet the requirements, a rejection decision is issued and it may not, as such, be marketed or brought into the country. The placing on the market of such a batch requires restoration followed by customs approval. If the batch cannot be brought into compliance in any acceptable way, it will be destroyed under Customs’ supervision.
Read more about the marketing standards for fruits and vegetables: Fresh fruits and vegetables (ruokavirasto.fi)
Customs takes samples of some products for product safety examinations. Read more about sampling on the page Import of foods and consumer goods
In the commodity code service Fintaric, you can check if the product requires a phytosanitary certificate based on the commodity code restrictions (document code “5RKE – phytosanitary certificate”).
Please note that despite of the commodity code restrictions, a phytosanitary certificate is not required e.g. for dried, frozen, preserved or otherwise processed plant-based foods.
Please note: Pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas and dates do not require a phytosanitary certificate or a CHED-PP.
If the product requires a phytosanitary certificate, a CHED-PP must be created in TRACES. Read more on the Food Authority’s webpage “Traces when importing plants, timber, wood packaging material and used machinery” (in Finnish)
Please note: Pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas and dates do not require a phytosanitary certificate or a CHED-PP.
Check if the product is subject to intensified import controls. In that case, a CHED-D must be created in TRACES.
If the product is organic, a COI must also be created in TRACES: Read more on the page Organic products
You can check the current legislation for a product under intensified control in EUR-Lex.
Based on the advance notification, Customs carries out a document inspection and risk assessment of the consignment. Read more about the advance notification
- Here you can check the approved border control posts (BCP).
- If needed, apply for the status of other control point (CP) for your warehouse.
Customs carries out the plant health inspection and controls the compliance with marketing standards during the same warehouse visit.
Read more about plant health inspections and controls of compliance with marketing standards.
Customs may take samples of some products for product safety examinations. Read more about sampling on the page Import of foods and consumer goods
- Find out the community code of the product, for example in the Fintaric service.
- Find out if the product is subject to phytosanitary requirements. Check the conditions regarding the commodity code and the country of origin in the Fintaric service. The commodity code restrictions include a document code requirement “5RKE - Phytosanitary certificate”, which means that a phytosanitary certificate and a phytosanitary entry document (CHED-PP) are required for the product. The phytosanitary certificate is always required, because there are no exceptions to phytosanitary controls.
- Find out if the product is subject to intensified controls by the EU in addition to phytosanitary controls. Check the conditions regarding the commodity code and the country of origin in the Fintaric service. The commodity code restrictions include a document code requirement “C678 – Common entry document (CHED-D)”, i.e. the product is subject to intensified controls and a CHED-D is required for the import. Also check if an exemption provided for in the Regulation is applicable to the import, whereby no CHED-D is required (e.g. if the imported quantity is small, or the intended use allows import without an entry document).
- Obtain the identifiers for TRACES and get access to the entry documents CHED-PP and CHED-D.
- Check how the products can be imported to Finland. Check the approved border control posts (BCP).
What to do when you bring in goods from within the EU
Customs has the right to take samples and carry out conformity checks on fresh fruits, berries and vegetables also coming from within the EU. Be prepared to submit information to Customs on the products coming in.
- Read more about sampling on the page Imports of foods and consumer goods
- Read more about conformity check