Veterinary and phytosanitary standards EEA 2026: what changes for exporters

Key data

Agri-food, livestock and export companies operating in the European Economic Area have new obligations from 6 February 2026. The EEA Joint Committee Decision 3/2026 updates Annex I of the EEA Agreement, which regulates veterinary and phytosanitary matters, incorporating new EU legislation on animal and plant health.

The direct effect is clear: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are obliged to apply the same standards as EU Member States in these areas. For Spanish and European operators trading with these three countries, this means that certification and health control procedures must be aligned with the new incorporated legislation.

What does this regulation establish?

The EEA Joint Committee is the body that ensures that non-EU EEA countries —Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein— apply the same legislation as EU Member States in matters covered by the EEA Agreement. When the EU approves new legislation in areas such as animal health or phytosanitary matters, the Joint Committee must formally incorporate it into the EEA Agreement through decisions such as this.

The Decision 3/2026 specifically amends the Annex I of the EEA Agreement, which is the annex dedicated to veterinary and phytosanitary matters. The changes introduced incorporate new EU legislation in two areas:

• Animal health: new EU standards that become mandatory in the three non-EU EEA countries.
• Plant health: new EU phytosanitary legislation incorporated into the EEA Agreement framework.

The regulatory harmonization generated by this decision has a dual effect: it facilitates trade within the EEA by applying the same rules in all countries, but at the same time may introduce new certification or health control requirements that operators must verify before operating.

Economic and operational impact

The impact of this decision is not of a direct sanction type nor does it involve new published fees. Its effect is operational and compliance-related: operators who do not update their certification procedures may face border rejections or shipment blockages.

The main operational impacts identified are:

• Review of health certificates: documents accompanying shipments of products of animal or plant origin to or from Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein may require updates to reflect new requirements.
• New border controls: the incorporation of new EU legislation may involve additional health controls that did not previously exist or were carried out under different criteria.
• Adaptation of internal procedures: companies with regular operations in these markets must review their export and import protocols to ensure ongoing compliance.
• Opportunity for simplification: harmonization also facilitates trade by eliminating regulatory differences between EEA countries, which can reduce operational friction in the medium term.

Who does it affect?

This decision directly affects operators trading in products of animal or plant origin within the EEA. Specifically:

• Exporting companies of products of animal origin (meat, dairy, eggs, fish, processed meat products) to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
• Importing companies of products of animal or plant origin from Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
• Livestock sector companies that participate in supply chains with these countries.
• Agri-food operators that export or import products of plant origin (fruits, vegetables, plants, seeds) within the EEA.
• Advisors and foreign trade departments that manage operations with the three non-EU EEA countries.
• Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein companies that export to the EU and must comply with new harmonized standards.

Practical example

A Spanish company exporting processed meat products that regularly sends batches to Norway must verify whether the new EU legislation incorporated into Annex I of the EEA Agreement modifies the models of health certificates required at the Norwegian border.

If the new EU legislative acts incorporated by Decision 3/2026 introduce changes to veterinary certificate models or health labeling requirements, this company will need to update the documentation accompanying its shipments before the next shipment. A shipment with outdated documentation may be held or rejected at Norwegian customs, generating storage, reshipping or product destruction costs.

The same scenario applies to a company importing Norwegian salmon: if the phytosanitary or veterinary controls at the EU border have been updated as a result of the new legislation incorporated, shipments must comply with the new standards from 6 February 2026.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if you operate with Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: if your company exports or imports products of animal or plant origin with any of these three countries, this decision directly affects you.
2. Review current health and phytosanitary certificates: check whether the certificate models you currently use remain valid under the new legislation incorporated into Annex I of the EEA Agreement.
3. Consult with your competent authority: in Spain, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency (AESAN) are the reference bodies for clarifying what specific changes the new incorporated legislation introduces.
4. Update internal export and import procedures: if new requirements are detected, update operational protocols and train staff responsible for shipment documentation.
5. Review contracts with logistics operators: ensure that freight forwarders and customs agents managing your shipments are aware of new health requirements at the border.
6. Monitor EEA Joint Committee publications: this is not the only Joint Committee decision. Establish a monitoring process to detect future updates to Annex I that may affect your operations.