Croatia

No agreement yet · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-09-26

65 screening rules

Labeling: 28 rules — 24 blocking, 3 conditional, 1 advisory
Additives: 8 rules — 6 blocking, 0 conditional, 2 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 17 rules — 16 blocking, 0 conditional, 1 advisory
Import & registration: 12 rules — 6 blocking, 6 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: Food Act (NN 18/23) + EU 178/2002 (shared)
Labeling regulation: EU 1169/2011 (shared); Law on Informing Consumers about Food (NN 56/2013 ff.)
Additives and residue limits: Law on Food Additives, Aromas and Enzymes (NN 39/2013 ff.); Law on Contaminants (NN 39/2013, 114/2018); EU 1333/2008; EU 2023/915; EU 396/2005 (shared)
Import requirements: EU 2017/625 official controls (shared); State Inspectorate
National standards body: HZN (HRN standards) — paywalled
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2025

Certificates required

Set at EU level — the same list applies in every member state.

Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Mandatory (Applies to: Composite products, food of non-animal origin under Reg. 2019/1793 (e.g. aflatoxin-risk nuts, spices))
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Products of animal origin from EU-listed countries & establishments)
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plants & plant products listed in Reg. 2019/2072)
EU TRACES CHED (Common Health Entry Document) — Mandatory (Applies to: Animals, POAO, FNAO under increased checks, plants)
EU organic certificate (Reg. (EU) 2018/848) & e-COI — Mandatory (Applies to: Products labelled organic)
EUR.1 / EUR-MED movement certificate — Mandatory (Applies to: Goods claiming FTA preference)
GSP Form A / REX statement on origin — Mandatory (Applies to: GSP beneficiary goods claiming preference)
Certificate of analysis (CoA) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Products under increased official controls (aflatoxin, pesticides, ethylene oxide))
BRCGS Food Safety — Commonly requested (Applies to: Retail private label)
IFS Food — Commonly requested (Applies to: German/French/Italian retail)
FSSC 22000 — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers & ingredients)
GLOBALG.A.P. IFA — Commonly requested (Applies to: Fresh produce & aquaculture)
Rainforest Alliance certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Cocoa, coffee, tea, bananas)
Fairtrade certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Coffee, cocoa, bananas, sugar)
MSC Chain of Custody (and fishery) certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Wild seafood)
ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Farmed seafood)
SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Retail suppliers)
V-Label (vegan/vegetarian) — Commonly requested (Applies to: Vegan/vegetarian claims)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
Bill of lading / air waybill / CMR — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Customs import declaration (SAD/H1 under UCC) — Issued by: Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) — Mandatory
EORI number registration — Issued by: Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) — Mandatory
Proof of preferential origin (EUR.1 / statement on origin / REX) — Issued by: Exporting-country customs or exporter — Conditional
CHED-P + official veterinary health certificate (TRACES-NT) — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) at border control post — Conditional (mandatory for POAO)
CHED-D + official certificate and lab results (TRACES-NT) — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) at border control post — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate + CHED-PP — Issued by: Exporting-country NPPO; checked by national plant health service — Conditional
Private attestation for composite products — Issued by: Importer/producer — Conditional
Catch certificate (IUU) — Issued by: Flag-state authority — Conditional
Food business operator registration of importer — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) — Mandatory
Notification of food supplements / foods for special groups — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) — Conditional
Labelling in national language (Reg 1169/2011) — Issued by: Importer (self-compliance, no pre-approval) — Mandatory
Organic certificate of inspection (COI) — Issued by: Control body — Conditional

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Conditional
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Export customs declaration (ECS/AES) — Issued by: Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) — Mandatory
Non-preferential certificate of origin — Issued by: Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) — Conditional
EUR.1 / EUR-MED movement certificate or statement on origin — Issued by: Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) — Conditional
Export veterinary / health certificate — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate for export — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) (plant health service) — Conditional
Free sale / health certificate for processed food — Issued by: Ministry of Agriculture / State Inspectorate (border veterinary and phytosanitary inspection) — Conditional
Legalisation / apostille / embassy attestation — Issued by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs; destination embassy — Conditional
Halal certificate — Issued by: Private/religious certifier recognised by destination — Conditional

Government fees

Official control fee at border control post (POAO / composite) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Official control fee for HRFNAO (CHED-D) checks (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Veterinary certificate issuance / documentary check / inspection hour (Import) — HRK 150 cert (EUR 19.91); HRK 100 doc check (EUR 13.27); HRK 150/hour (EUR 19.91)
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: Customs CIS + TRACES-NT

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Sources of the rules inherited from the European Union (shared bloc rules)

Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 — General Food Law (consolidated 2026-01-01) (2002) Open the source
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — Food Information to Consumers (consolidated 2025-04-01) (2011) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — Food Additives (consolidated 2026-02-18, incl. Annex II union list) (2008) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 2023/915 — Maximum Levels for Contaminants in Food (consolidated 2025-10-08) (2023) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 — Hygiene of Foodstuffs (consolidated 2021-03-24) (2004) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 — Hygiene Rules for Food of Animal Origin (consolidated 2026-01-27) (2004) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 — Official Controls (consolidated 2025-01-05) (2017) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 — Food Contact Materials (consolidated 2021-03-27) (2004) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 — Novel Foods (2015) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 — Pesticide MRLs in Food and Feed (2005) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 — GM Food and Feed (2003) Open the source
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 — Nutrition and Health Claims (2006) Open the source
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 — Model Official Certificates (animal-origin/composite imports) (2020) Open the source
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/630 — Composite Products Exempt from Border Controls (2021) Open the source
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775 — Origin of the Primary Ingredient (Art 26(3) FIC) (2018) Open the source
EU Food Additives Database (Annex II Reg 1333/2008, searchable) (2026) Open the source
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 — Temporary Increase of Controls on Certain High-Risk Non-Animal Foods (2019) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — European Union (2024) (2024) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — European Union (2025) (2025) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Croatia (HR2025-0006) (2026) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report Annual — European Union (E42025-0026) (2025) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 2023/915 — Maximum levels for contaminants (shared) (2023) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 2017/625 — Official controls (shared) (2017) Open the source
Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 — Food information to consumers (shared) (2011) Open the source
Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 — Food additives (shared) (2008) Open the source
Regulation (EC) 396/2005 — Pesticide MRLs (shared) (2005) Open the source
Regulation (EC) 178/2002 — General Food Law (shared) (2002) Open the source
HRN national standards (HZN) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.