New EEE veterinary and phytosanitary requirements 2026: what changes for exporters

Key data

Spanish exporters of agri-food products destined for the non-community European Economic Area —Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein— must review their export procedures. The Decision no. 60/2026 of the EEE Joint Committee, adopted on March 20, 2026 and published on June 25, 2026, modifies Annex I of the EEE Agreement, which specifically regulates veterinary and phytosanitary matters.

The mechanism is clear: whenever the EU approves new legislation on animal or plant health, the EEE Joint Committee incorporates it into the EEE Agreement through a decision. Thus, the three non-community EEE countries are obliged to apply the same standards as EU Member States. The practical result for exporting companies: the requirements that their products must meet can change at any time one of these decisions is adopted.

What does this regulation establish?

Decision 60/2026 updates Annex I of the EEE Agreement, which is the legal framework that guarantees the homogeneity of the enlarged internal market in agri-food matters. Specifically, it incorporates new EU legislation in two areas:

• Animal health: new European standards on control of animal diseases, conditions for import or movement of animals and products of animal origin.
• Plant health (phytosanitary): new standards on pests, border controls and conditions for marketing of plants and plant products.

By incorporating this legislation into the EEE Agreement, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are obliged to transpose and apply these standards in their territory. This means that the authorities of these countries may require Spanish exporters to comply with the new standards at the time of border control or in the accompanying documentation.

The decision guarantees the free movement of agri-food goods in the EEE, but in return imposes that all operators —including EU exporters— comply with updated regulations to access those markets without incident.

Economic and operational impact

The impact is not a direct fine or a new tax: it is an operational risk and market access risk. If a Spanish exporter arrives at the Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein border with documentation that does not reflect the new requirements incorporated by this decision, they may face:

• Retention or rejection of goods at the border.
• Need to obtain new health or phytosanitary certifications before the next shipment.
• Additional costs for storage, return or destruction of rejected goods.
• Review of internal quality control and documentation procedures.

For companies that export regularly to these three countries, the cost of adaptation will depend on the type of product and how much the new standards differ from those they already comply with. In many cases, if the company already complies with current EU regulations, the adaptation will be minimal. The problem arises when there are gaps between EU regulations applied internally and those already incorporated into the EEE Agreement.

Who does it affect?

• Exporters of products of animal origin (meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey and derivatives) destined for Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
• Exporters of products of plant origin (fruits, vegetables, cereals, plants, seeds) to those same destinations.
• Phytosanitary sector operators who market phytosanitary products or provide pest control services with international scope.
• Veterinarians and health technicians responsible for issuing or validating export certificates.
• Customs agents and logistics operators who manage the transit of agri-food goods to the non-community EEE.
• Agri-food companies with supply chains that include suppliers or customers in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

Practical example

A Spanish company exporting processed meat products regularly sends batches to a distributor in Norway. Until now, its health certificates complied with the requirements demanded at the border. Following the entry into force of Decision 60/2026 on March 20, 2026, Norway has incorporated new EU legislation on animal health into the EEE Agreement.

If that new legislation introduces additional certification requirements —for example, new mandatory fields in the official health certificate or new product treatment conditions— and the company has not updated its documentation, the next shipment may be retained at Norwegian customs until the documentation is corrected. The direct cost: refrigerated storage at port, possible contractual penalties with the distributor and delay in payment.

The preventive solution is simple: contact the official veterinarian responsible for export certification and verify that the certificate models used are updated with the regulations incorporated by this decision.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if you export to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: If your company has active or planned operations to these destinations with products of animal or plant origin, this decision directly affects you.
2. Review the health and phytosanitary certificates in use: Contact the official veterinarian or phytosanitary technician responsible for your exports and request confirmation that the certificate models are aligned with the most recent EU regulations incorporated into the EEE Agreement.
3. Consult with the competent authorities: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) is the reference body in Spain for health certification of agri-food exports. Check if they have issued updated instructions for these destinations.
4. Update internal documentary procedures: If changes in requirements are detected, update documentation templates, shipment preparation checklists and train responsible personnel.
5. Alert your customs agent or freight forwarder: Make sure the logistics operator managing your shipments to the non-community EEE knows the new requirements and can correctly manage documentation at the border.
6. Monitor future EEE Joint Committee decisions: This will not be the last update. Establish a regulatory monitoring system to detect new decisions affecting Annex I of the EEE Agreement before they impact your operations.

Official source

Consult complete regulations in official source

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_202601257