Key data
| Regulation | Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No. 111/2026, of 30 April 2026 [2026/1492] |
|---|---|
| Publication | 23 July 2026 |
| Entry into force | 30 April 2026 |
| Affected parties | Agrifood exporters, livestock producers, plant producers and companies with trade towards non-EU EEA countries |
| Non-EU EEA countries impacted | Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein |
| Category | Agriculture and Fisheries — Animal health and phytosanitary matters |
| Official reference | OJ:L_202601492 |
| Competent authority in Spain | Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) |
If your company exports products of animal or plant origin to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, this regulation affects you directly. Decision 111/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee amends Annex I of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, incorporating new EU legislation on animal health, phytosanitary controls and import requirements. The practical result: the standards your products must meet to cross the border of these countries have changed.
The regulation has technically been in force since 30 April 2026, although its official publication in the EU Official Journal took place on 23 July 2026. This means that the adaptation period is already running, and any shipment that does not comply with the new requirements may be rejected at the border.
What does this regulation establish?
The EEA Agreement allows Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to participate in the European single market without being EU members. For this to work, these countries must apply the same EU legislation in key areas, including veterinary and phytosanitary matters, which are set out in Annex I of the EEA Agreement.
When the EU updates its legislation in these areas, the EEA Joint Committee must approve a decision incorporating those changes into Annex I. That is exactly what Decision 111/2026 does: update that annex to reflect new EU legislation in three specific areas:
- Animal health: new requirements applicable to live animals and products of animal origin.
- Phytosanitary controls: update of inspection and certification standards for plant products.
- Import requirements: updated conditions for the entry of products of animal and plant origin into non-EU EEA countries.
In practice, this means that the health certificates, export documents and control procedures currently used by Spanish companies to export to these three countries may have become outdated. The regulation does not specify in its decision text which specific EU regulations are incorporated (this is set out in the technical annex to the decision), so review with MAPA is the essential step to identify the exact changes applicable to each product.
Economic and operational impact
The impact is not a direct sanction with a fixed amount: the economic risk materializes operationally. These are the specific scenarios that can affect your bottom line:
- Border rejection: a rejected shipment implies return costs, destruction of perishable goods or re-shipment to a third market. For agrifood products with short shelf life, rejection can mean total loss of shipment value.
- Trade sanctions: repeated non-compliance with the new standards may result in trade restrictions by the authorities of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
- Recertification cost: if current health certificates do not cover the new requirements, it will be necessary to obtain new certifications through MAPA or official control bodies, with the administrative and time costs involved.
- Documentation review: export and logistics departments will need to update their documentation templates and internal control procedures.
Who does it affect?
The regulation directly impacts companies and professionals operating in the following areas and with commercial activity with Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein:
- Exporters of agrifood products (meat, dairy, eggs, fish and fishery products, honey, etc.)
- Livestock producers and livestock sector companies exporting live animals or genetic material
- Producers and exporters of plant products (fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds, plant reproduction material)
- Logistics companies and transport operators specializing in perishable goods destined for non-EU EEA
- Advisors and consultants in foreign trade with clients in the agrifood sector
- Agricultural cooperatives with export activity to the three countries mentioned
Companies that export exclusively to EU countries are not affected by this decision, as EU legislation is directly applicable to them.
Practical example
A Spanish meat company that regularly exports cooked ham and cured meats to Norway uses an official health certificate model issued by MAPA. With the entry into force of Decision 111/2026, the animal health requirements incorporated into Annex I of the EEA Agreement may have changed, which could mean that the current certificate model is no longer valid or that new declarations or additional controls at origin are required.
If this company does not verify with MAPA whether its current certification remains valid under the new standards and sends a shipment without updated documentation, Norwegian border control authorities may reject the goods. Since these are perishable products, rejection can mean total loss of shipment value, plus associated logistics costs.
The preventive action is simple: contact the Subdirectorate General for Health Agreements and Border Control at MAPA to confirm whether current certificates remain valid for exporting to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein following Decision 111/2026.
What should companies do now?
- Identify if you export to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: if your company has commercial operations with any of these three countries in products of animal or plant origin, this regulation affects you directly.
- Contact MAPA: consult with the competent Subdirectorate General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to find out what specific changes Decision 111/2026 introduces in the certificates and requirements applicable to your specific products.
- Review current export documentation: check whether the health and phytosanitary certificate models you currently use remain valid under the new standards of Annex I of the EEA Agreement.
- Update internal procedures: if changes in requirements are detected, update documentation templates, quality control procedures and briefings for export and logistics personnel.
- Inform your clients in non-EU EEA countries: communicate to your distributors or buyers in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein that you are verifying compliance with the new requirements to avoid border incidents.
- Consult the full text of the decision: access the official text on EUR-Lex to identify the specific EU regulations incorporated into Annex I and assess their impact on your operations.
Frequently asked questions
Since when are the new veterinary and phytosanitary requirements for exporting to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein in force?
Decision 111/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee entered into force on 30 April 2026, although its publication in the EU Official Journal took place on 23 July 2026. This means that the new requirements are enforceable from 30 April, so the adaptation period is already underway.
What happens if my company exports meat or plant products to Norway without updating the documentation?
Non-compliance with the new standards of Annex I of the EEA Agreement may result in rejection of goods at the border or trade sanctions by the authorities of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. For perishable products, a border rejection can mean total loss of shipment value, plus logistics costs for return or destruction.
Which organization should I consult in Spain to adapt my export certificates?
The competent authority in Spain is the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA). Specifically, you should contact the Subdirectorate General for Health Agreements and Border Control to verify whether the current health and phytosanitary certificate models remain valid following Decision 111/2026.
Does this regulation also affect exports within the European Union?
No. Decision 111/2026 affects exclusively trade with EEA countries that are not EU members: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Exports between EU countries are governed directly by EU legislation, which is not affected by this decision.
Where can I consult the full text of Decision 111/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee?
The official text is available on the EUR-Lex portal of the European Union, with the reference OJ:L_202601492. You can access it directly through the link in the "Official source" section of this article.
Official source
Consult full regulation on official source — EUR-Lex OJ:L_202601492
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601492