Imports of plants and plant products in passengers' per-sonal luggage
Imports of plants and plant products from third countries is subject to prohibitions and restrictions, in accordance with a special European union (EU) regulations adopted to protect plants in the EU by preventing the introduction of organisms harmful to them
They also apply to passenger traffic and include bans and restrictions on imports of plants and plant products in passengers' personal luggage, and 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 objects whose import into the EU is strictly prohibited are defined by the following regulations: These plants, plant products and other objects 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 objects may be imported into the EU by travelers in their personal luggage if they have a phytosanitary certificate issued by the competent phytosanitary body of the third country which they come from.The list of plants and plant products allowed 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.
Import of seeds and plants for planting
Seeds and plants for planting in passengers' personal luggage are 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 control post (BCP), which is performed by phytosanitary inspectors of the State Inspectorate of the Republic of Croatia.BCP’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 Airport Franjo Tuđman (Zagreb). 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 (Ananas 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 objects 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 report them to customs officials 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.