Import and export: safety, health, environment and economy

Does your company import or export products? Dutch Customs inspects whether the goods you import or export, comply with Dutch and European safety, health, economy, and environmental laws. (VGEM).

Dutch Customs works together with various supervisory organisations, such as the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) and the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (Inspectie Gezondheidszorg en Jeugd, IGJ).

The import and export of certain goods to or from the Netherlands is prohibited, or is only permitted if you meet certain terms and conditions.

This applies to:

• Safety

  • drugs and drug precursors
  • weapons and ammunition
  • if sanctions apply (you are not allowed to (temporarily) import or export specific goods or import or export goods to certain countries)
  • medicines
  • animal feed
• Health

  • plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit (export)
  • plants, flowers, vegetables and fruit (import)
  • endangered animals and plants
  • product safety (export)
  • product safety (import)
• Economy

  • cultural objects (art and antiques)
  • strategic goods (military good and dual-use goods)
  • counterfeit goods
• Environment

  • waste materials
  • radioactive substances and nuclear material
  • transport of dangerous goods
  • environmentally hazardous substances

Import permit and export permit

For these products, you often need an import permit or an export permit, or you must submit a notification. The procedure and the type of permit vary per product.