EU legislation requires goods imported in the EU or exported outside the EU to comply with a number of safety, health and environmental rules, which protect consumers and the planet.
It is the role of customs to check if goods entering or leaving the EU comply with all these rules, which cover a great variety of policy areas ranging from product safety, health rules, animal welfare and environmental requirements to waste shipments.
More information on the legislation and import/export requirements is available on the European Commission different departments’ webpages.
Commission's Directorate-General for Justice and consumers
Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Commission's Directorate-General for Environment
Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development
Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs