EEE Veterinary Standards 2026: what changes for agri-food exporters

Key data

Agri-food companies operating between the EU and EEE countries have new rules of the game from February 6, 2026. Decision No. 2/2026 of the EEE Joint Committee updates Annex I of the EEE Agreement, which regulates veterinary and phytosanitary matters, incorporating recent European regulations into the legal framework applicable in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Official publication took place on May 21, 2026, but entry into force is retroactive to February 6, 2026, the date of adoption of the decision. This means that the obligations are already enforceable and any operation carried out from that date must comply with the new requirements.

What does this regulation establish?

The EEE Joint Committee is the body that ensures that EEE countries not belonging to the EU—Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein—apply the same rules of the European internal market in the areas covered by the EEE Agreement.

Through this Decision No. 2/2026, the Annex I of the EEE Agreement is updated, which is the specific annex dedicated to veterinary and phytosanitary matters. The modification incorporates new EU regulations into that annex, extending its application to the three non-EU EEE countries.

The areas that may be affected by this update are as follows:

• Border controls: possible changes in inspection procedures at entry points for products of animal or plant origin.
• Health certifications: update of the models or requirements of the certificates required to accompany shipments.
• Labeling requirements: new requirements applicable to agri-food products marketed in the EEE area.
• Export and import procedures: review of operational processes to adapt them to updated provisions.

The regulation does not repeal the EEE Agreement, but rather updates the content of Annex I to reflect the evolution of EU health and phytosanitary law, maintaining regulatory homogeneity throughout the European economic area.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this decision translates into operational and compliance costs for companies that market products of animal or plant origin between the EU and Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. The main impact vectors are:

• Review of health certifications: if the certificate models have been updated, exporters must obtain new documents for each shipment. This may involve additional processing costs and management time.
• Labeling adaptation: if new labeling requirements have been introduced, companies must review and update their packaging and presentation materials, with the cost of redesign and printing involved.
• More stringent border controls: changes in inspection procedures may result in longer waiting times at the border or the need for additional documentation, with an impact on delivery times and logistics costs.
• Review of internal procedures: foreign trade, quality and logistics departments must update their protocols to ensure compliance from February 6, 2026.

Non-compliance with the new requirements may result in retention of goods at the border, return of shipments or loss of temporary access to the market of the affected EEE countries, with the consequent economic and reputational impact.

Who does it affect?

This regulation directly affects:

• Spanish and European exporters that send products of animal origin (meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, derived products) to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
• Importers that introduce into the EU products of animal or plant origin from those three EEE countries.
• Agri-food companies with supply chains that cross EU-non-EU EEE borders.
• Plant sector operators that market plants, seeds, fruits, vegetables or other phytosanitary products in the EEE area.
• Foreign trade, quality and regulatory departments of companies with activity in these markets.
• Customs agents and logistics operators that manage shipments of agri-food products between the EU and non-EU EEE countries.

Practical example

A Spanish meat products exporting company that makes regular shipments to Norway must, from February 6, 2026, verify that the health certificates accompanying each shipment comply with the updated models incorporated into Annex I of the EEE Agreement through this Decision No. 2/2026.

If the certificate models have changed and the company continues to use the previous ones, Norwegian authorities may retain the goods at the entry point until the documentation is corrected. This may involve border storage costs, delays in delivery to the customer and, in the worst case, return of the shipment.

Similarly, an importer bringing plant products from Iceland must review whether the border controls applicable to those products have been modified, to anticipate possible additional inspections or new documentary requirements at entry into the EU.

The key is to act preventively: review procedures before making the next shipment, do not wait for a border retention to reveal non-compliance.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your company exports or imports products of animal or plant origin between the EU and Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. If so, this regulation directly affects you.
2. Review the current health certificates that accompany your shipments and verify if the models have been updated in Annex I of the EEE Agreement following Decision No. 2/2026.
3. Check the labeling requirements applicable to your products in the markets of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to detect possible changes introduced by this update.
4. Consult with the competent health authorities (in Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the Spanish Food Safety Agency) to obtain specific information on the new requirements applicable to your product category.
5. Update internal procedures of the foreign trade, quality and logistics departments to reflect the new requirements from February 6, 2026.
6. Inform your customs agent or freight forwarder of possible changes in the documentation required for shipments to non-EU EEE countries.