Bringing food for private use

As a rule, food products can be imported when travelling in the EU. Outside the EU, food products of animal origin can be imported from Norway, Iceland and Switzerland following the same restrictions as in the EU Member States. In addition, fruit and vegetables can be imported from Switzerland without any restrictions.

However, the following restrictions apply:

• The import of pork, wild boar meat and products that contain pork and wild boar meat from countries where African swine fever occurs (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and many other European countries) is restricted. These products can only be imported from areas in which the disease occurs when the product packaging is marked with the oval EU identifcation mark.
• Because the situation involving African swine fever can change rapidly, the Finnish Food Authority recommends that no products containing pork or wild boar meat be imported from countries in which the disease is found.
• A wild boar caught during a hunting trip cannot be imported from areas where African swine fever occurs.
• Fruit and vegetables cannot be imported from the Canary Islands without a phytosanitary certifcate.

Learn more: Private import of meat and meat products in EU

Learn more: Importing plants and fresh plant products as personal luggage

The following cannot be imported when travelling from outside the EU:

• Meat, meat products
• Milk, dairy products
• Fresh produce, including fruit, berries, vegetables and root vegetables, without a phytosanitary certifcate (this also applies to Norway and Iceland). The certifcate is granted by the authorities in the country of origin. In practice, it is diffcult for travellers to obtain the certifcate.

The following can be imported with restrictions when travelling from outside the EU:

• Up to 2 kg of infant formula, baby food and food products required for specifc medical reasons
• A total of 20 kg of fresh or processed fsh, shellfsh and roe or alternatively one gutted fsh (no weight
  limit)
• Up to 2 kg of other products of animal origin, including honey, frog legs, snails and eggs

The following can be freely imported when travelling from outside the EU:

• Processed plant-based food products, including coffee, tea, spices, dried herbs, canned fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, fakes, four, etc.
• Certain fruit: pineapples, bananas, durians, coconuts and dates
• 10 kg of edible mushrooms,
• All other food products that do not contain any fresh or processed meat or milk and that contain less than 50% of processed egg or fshing products.

If you notice that you have accidentally imported a prohibited food product into Finland, dispose of the product and its scraps thoroughly as mixed waste.

More information on the import of food of animal origin for private use 

More information on the import of plants and fresh plant products for private use

Non-private imports within the EU

If food of animal origin is imported from the internal market for commercial purposes (for distribution or sale) to Finland, it is considered as activity of a food business operator and is covered by the official food control by the municipalities. This applies also to all non-commercial distribution of food products. More information at For intra EU-trade operators.

Non-private imports from outside the EU

See instructions: Imports from countries outside the EU