EUROPEAN UNION

Overview

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cypress, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden are within the European Union. If you are travelling from outside of the EU, you are entitled to buy fragrance, skincare, cosmetics, Champagne, wine, selected spirits, fashion accessories, gifts and souvenirs – all at tax-free equivalent prices.

EU’s duty-free allowance for travellers from EU countries:

If you are over 17 years old, you are free to buy and take goods with you when travelling between EU countries, provided that you have paid tax on these goods and they are for your own use (not for sale). However, if you bring in more than the following, customs officials are likely to question you:

• 800 cigarettes or 400 cigarillos or 200 cigars or 1 kg of tobacco.
• 60 l of sparkling wine.
• 20 l of fortified wines.
• 110 l of beer.
• 10 l of alcoholic beverages stronger than 22 %.
• 10 l of sweetened alcoholic beverages (alcopops).
• 10 kg of coffee or products containing coffee.
• Beware that each EU country has different rules for travellers under 17 years old. Please check before you travel.

EU’s duty-free allowance for travellers from non-EU countries:

If you are arriving from a non-EU country, the following goods may be imported into EU by travellers with a minimum age of 17 years without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco. You may combine any of these products provided that you do not exceed the total limit.
• 4 l of wine and 16 l of beer and 1 l of spirits over 22 % volume or 2 l of alcoholic beverages less than 22 % volume. You may combine any of these products provided that you do not exceed the total limit.
• Other goods up to the value of 430 € for air and sea travellers and 300 € for other travellers (reduced to 175 € for children under 15).

Exceeding travellers’ allowances

• A simplified calculation of charges by means of a flat rate of duty (17,5%) may be applied where the value of the goods subject to import tax does not exceed 700 eurosper for each individual traveller. 

For more information, see for your Customs Services – here the EU and the German Customs Services

Prohibited Imports

Germany

Unauthorised firearms and ammunition, unapproved fireworks, unconstitutional literature, pornography which is violent or involves children, instruments of torture, illegally obtained works of art and cultural assets, any food considered a health hazard, narcotics, dangerous dogs, endangered species and counterfeit goods.

The import of rough diamonds, textiles, plants and animals is restricted.

You also cannot bring meat, fish or dairy products from outside the EU to Germany.

France

Items which are either prohibited or require a licence include weapons and ammunition, drugs (other than those prescribed for personal use), live animals, plant products, cultural artefacts and endangered species.

Poland

Unlicensed firearms and ammunition, narcotics, meat, fish dairy products from outside the EU. Endangered species require a permit.

You may only import small quantities of plants, fruit and vegetables for personal use, otherwise they require a phytosanitary certificate.

Sweden

Unlicensed firearms and ammunition, meat, fish, and dairy products from outside the EU, endangered species (unless you have a permit), and medicines and narcotics (unless prescribed).

Prohibited Exports

France

Gold/ jewellery must be declared except personal jewellery not exceeding a total weight of 500g.

Poland

Certain arts and antiquities require an export licence, eg archaeological artefacts more than 100 years old or paintings more than 50 years old. Endangered species also require a permit.

Sweden

Unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

No guarantee can be given for the correctness of the information on the travel allowances of the European Union.