New veterinary and phytosanitary standards in the EEA: what exporters and importers must do in 2026

Key data

Spanish companies operating with EEA countries not belonging to the EU —Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein— must review their export and import procedures. The Decision 157/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee, published on September 24, 2026, amends Annex I of the EEA Agreement and incorporates new European animal and plant health regulations into the scope of these three countries. The objective is to ensure regulatory homogeneity throughout the European Economic Area, but the practical consequence is that operators must verify compliance with the new requirements before conducting commercial operations.

What does this regulation establish?

The Annex I of the EEA Agreement regulates veterinary and phytosanitary matters applicable in the European Economic Area. This annex establishes which European regulations on animal and plant health also apply in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, countries that are part of the EEA but are not members of the European Union.

Decision 157/2026 updates that annex by incorporating new European regulations recently approved. This means that the three non-EU EEA countries are obliged to apply the same veterinary and phytosanitary standards that govern in the EU, thus ensuring that market access conditions are equivalent throughout the area.

The specific areas regulated by the amended Annex I are:

• Animal health: conditions for the trade of live animals and animal products
• Plant health: requirements for the import and export of plants and plant products
• Veterinary and phytosanitary controls at the border
• Certifications and documentation required for commercial operations between the EU and non-EU EEA countries

The regulation does not establish a new regime from scratch: it updates and expands the existing framework of the EEA Agreement to reflect the most recent regulatory changes approved in the EU, ensuring that Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein apply those same updated rules.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact for Spanish companies is operational and compliance-related: it is not about new tariffs or fees, but technical and documentary requirements that condition market access. Operating without complying with them can result in goods being held at the border, shipment returns or the inability to complete the operation.

The main practical effects are:

• Review of certifications: Veterinary and phytosanitary certificates issued for operations with these countries must be adjusted to the new models or requirements incorporated.
• Update of internal procedures: Quality, logistics and foreign trade departments must verify that their protocols reflect the updated standards.
• Coordination with competent authorities: In Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the autonomous communities are the bodies that issue the necessary certifications. It may be necessary to request new certificate models.
• Impact on timelines: If border controls in the destination countries have been updated, clearance times may vary until operators adapt their documentation.

Who does it affect?

This regulation affects all companies and professionals conducting commercial operations with Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein in the following sectors:

• Exporters of live animals (livestock, aquaculture, commercial pet animals)
• Exporters of animal products (meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey and derivatives)
• Exporters of plants, seeds, plant reproductive material and plant products
• Importers of any of the above products from Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• Agri-food sector operators with supply chains including these three countries
• Veterinarians and phytosanitary technicians who issue or manage certifications for these operations
• Customs agents and freight forwarders handling goods of animal or plant origin on these routes

Practical example

A Spanish meat products exporting company that regularly sends shipments to Norway must verify that its export health certificates comply with the new models incorporated into Annex I of the EEA Agreement by Decision 157/2026.

If the company continues to use certificates based on the previous version of Annex I without updating, Norwegian veterinary authorities could reject the goods at the border control point, which would involve storage costs, possible return of the shipment and loss of the order. Since the regulation is in force since June 5, 2026, any operation carried out from that date onwards must already comply with the new requirements, although the official publication in the Official Journal of the EU took place on September 24, 2026.

The first concrete step for this company would be to contact the official veterinary service of its autonomous community to confirm which certificate models are currently valid for exports to non-EU EEA countries.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if you operate with Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: Review your customer and supplier portfolio. If you have active or planned operations with these countries in animal or plant products, this regulation directly affects you.
2. Verify the documentation in use: Check that the veterinary and phytosanitary certificates you currently use are updated in accordance with the current version of Annex I of the EEA Agreement.
3. Contact the competent authority: In Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the veterinary and phytosanitary services of your autonomous community are the reference bodies to confirm which certificate models are currently valid.
4. Update internal procedures: Inform the quality, logistics and foreign trade departments of the changes and update the operational protocols for the affected routes.
5. Review contracts and commercial agreements: If you have supply contracts with customers or suppliers in these countries, verify that the regulatory compliance clauses cover updates to the EEA Agreement.
6. Consult with your specialized advisor: If the operation is complex or the volume of business with these countries is significant, consider a specific review with a foreign trade consultant or official veterinarian.

Official source

Consult complete regulation 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_202601980