Animal products

According to legal act nr.25/1993 all import of food of animal origin is forbidden. The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) is permitted to deviate from this ban when required conditions are met.

The office of import and export within MAST executes this control on a daily basis. This is a voluminous task which covers all products and live animals which can carry contagious material dangerous for animals or humans. The main task of the office of import and export is to prevent contagious material, drug residues hazardous to animals and humans from entering the country by means of live animals, animal products, tourists or by any other means.  Another task of the office of import and export is to certify that animal products, fish products and live animals exported from Iceland fulfil the requirements of the importing country and do not present undue health risk to animals and humans.

Importing animal products to Iceland

• Small amounts for personal consumption from EEA states
  
• Products from EEA states for distribution 
  
• Products from non-EEA states for distribution

Importing animal products to Iceland - Small amounts for personal consumption from EEA states

Travellers/tourists are permitted to bring in their luggage for personal consumption, fully cooked or processed food, provided that the packaging specifies heat treatment (up to 3 kg duty-free)

Individuals can furthermore apply for permission to bring  small amounts of hunted game / raw meat for personal consumption from EEA states. Special conditions apply to such importation. For further information please contact The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority at mast@mast.is

Do not enter Iceland with 

• raw meat
  
• raw eggs
  
• more than 1 kg of unpasteurized milk products
  

Importing animal products to Iceland for personal consumption from non EEA states is prohibited

Importing raw meat from EEA states to Iceland for sale and/or distribution 

In all instances and before the product is dispatched from the country of export the importer must begin with applying for an import permit and provide MAST with the necessary information on the product, i.e. country of origin, producer and approval number of establishment. If and when the import permit has been issued by MAST the importer must provide the following documents for each shipment:

Raw meat

• a certificate confirming that the products have been stored at a temperature of at least -18°C for a month prior to customs clearance 
• an official certificate confirming that the products are free of salmonella bacteria
• confirmation of the EU approval no of food establishment

Heat treated meat

• a certificate confirming heat treatment where the product is in air-tight packaging with an Fc value of 3.00 or more, or so that the core temperature reached 72°C for 15 seconds

Cured meat

• a certificate confirming natural fermenting and maturing. The meat must have received treatment involving fermenting or maturing, and have an aw value which does not exceed 0.93 and pH value which does not exceed 6.0. Raw ham must have been cured for at least 190 days and raw loins at least 140 days

Dried meat or processed for storage

• a certificate confirming that the meat has received treatment which, in the assessment of MAST, is comparable to those treatments required for heat treated or cured meat.

Labelling

• All products shall be labelled in conformity with current rules on labelling, advertising and promotion of foodstuffs

Importing animal products from non-EEA states to Iceland for sale and/or distribution

In addition to the aforementioned requirements, the following conditions must be met when importing from non-EEA states to Iceland

• an official certificate of origin and health
• an official certificate confirming that the animals from which the products derive were not given growth-promoting substances during rearing, in the case of products from producers outside the European Economic Area
• an official certificate confirming that the animals from which the products derive were slaughtered in slaughterhouses and the products processed in processing plants authorised in the European Economic Area
• all import of animal products from states outside the EEA are subject to health check at an approved Border Inspection Posts and must be pre-notified in TRACES in advance (24 h), the trans-European system for issuing common veterinary entry documents for animal products (CVEDP). Further information on  TRACES

Icelandic border inspection posts

The table below shows the location of Icelandic border inspection posts, their TRACES number, type and approval for imports of animals and animal products.

TRACES 

The CVED is filled out using the TRACES database. TRACES is a harmonised trade registration system to monitor and control imports of animal products from third countries to EEA states.

Information on TRACES

TRACES - login

Landings from vessels of third countries

Form: Captain's Declaration - Declaration by the captain for landing from a third-country vessel

Import costs 

Charges for import supervision are in accordance with hourly tariff. See MAST tariff.