CUSTOMS

IMPORT REGULATIONS

Pets

Animals travelling to France from an EU country require the following:

• A microchip or tattoo (the latter needs to be dated before 3 July 2011). Microchips must comply with ISO 11784 standards and be read with an ISO 11785 compliant reader.
• A rabies vaccination. The animal must be aged at least 12 weeks or older and be given at least 21 days prior to departure.
• A Common Veterinary Entry Document certifying the healthy inspection must be provided with the customs declaration.
• Pets travelling within the EU must have a valid pet passport containing information on the identification of the animal, a record of the animal's rabies vaccination and, if necessary, a clinical examination and echinococcosis medication.

Animals travelling to France from a  non-EU country or state require the following:

• A health certificate provided by an official veterinarian from the country of origin, which will include information about the animal's identification and health.
• A microchip or tattoo (the latter needs to be dated before 3 July 2011). Microchips must comply with ISO 11784 standards and be read with an ISO 11785 compliant reader.
• A rabies vaccination. This must be valid at the time of travelling. The vaccination must have taken place at least 21 days prior to departure with verification from an official veterinarian.
• At least three months before travelling, the animal will need to conduct a rabies antibody test in an EU-approved laboratory. The test result should be 0.5 IU/ml or above. The sample must be analysed in an EU-approved laboratory.
• Some countries and territories are exempt from needing an antibody test. They are:

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Ascension Island, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Bermuda, BES Islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba), Bosnia-Herzegovina, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Curaçao, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Guernesey, Hong Kong, Ile de Man, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Russia, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre et Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United States of America (including Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marian Islands, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands), Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna.

• Dogs, cats and ferrets accompanying their owner from Andorra, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or Vatican City State are subject to the same health requirements as dogs, cats and ferrets travelling from a EU Member state.

Important Health & Safety Information

For further information, please visit French Customs on travelling with pets.

Free to Import

When travelling within EU

If entering from within the EU, passengers may bring with them duty-free goods for personal use within the limits set out below. The goods must be for personal use or as a gift and they must have had duty and tax paid in the EU country where they were acquired. Customs officials may require proof of intent if more than all the following is imported.

Tobacco (restricted to travellers 17 years and over)

• 200 cigarettes;
• 100 cigarillos (maximum 3g each);
• 50 cigars;
• 250g smoking tobacco;
• You can roll purchases together. For example, if you bring back cigars you can also bring 250g of smoking tobacco.

Alcoholic (restricted to travellers 17 years and over)

• 10 litres of spirits over 22%;
• 20 litres of alcoholic beverages, other than either wine or beer, less than 22% volume;
• 90 litres of wine (with a maximum 60 litres of sparkling wine);
• 110 litres of beer.

When travelling from outside the EU

If entering the EU from outside, passengers may bring with them duty-free goods for personal use within the limits set out below. The same applies if coming from the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar or other territories where EU rules on VAT do not apply.

Tobacco (restricted to travellers 17 years and over)

One of the following:

• 200 cigarettes;
• 100 cigarillos;
• 50 cigars;
• 250g of smoking tobacco; or
• A proportional combination of these goods (such as 100 cigarettes and 50 cigarillos).

Alcohol (restricted to travellers 17 years and over)

One of the following:

• 1 litre exceeding 22% alcohol volume; or
• 2 litres up to 22% alcohol volume.

In addition, both of the following:

• 4 litres of still wine; and
• 16 litres of beer.

Currency

• There are no restrictions on the importation of currency into the EU.
• Funds of more than €10,000 must be declared to the customs authorities.

Other goods

• Medication for personal use.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €430 when travelling by air or sea.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €300 when travelling by land.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €200 for travellers under 15 years of age.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Narcotic and psychotropic drugs (except when accompanied by a prescription, medical certificate or an import and export authorisation).
• Counterfeit goods.
• Products containing asbestos.
• Plants and plant products on the Annexx III of the Decree of 24 May 2006.
• Products containing certain hazardous substances (e.g. lead salts, nickel).
• Endangered species and their derivative products protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
• Pornographic products or objects which include the representation of minors.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Plants and plant products require a Common Health Entry Document for Plant Protection. For further information, please visit the Ministry for Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry.
• Endangered animals, plants, and their derivative products protected under CITES may require protected species permits.
• Cultural goods leaving France must travel with a certificate, and cultural goods leaving the EU must leave with a certificate and an export authorisation. For further information, please visit the Ministry for Culture and Communication.
• Weapons and ammunition, depending on their category, are subject to prior transfer agreement, import authorisation, transfer permit, or export authorisation.
• Meat, milk and other dairy products for personal consumption are allowed from EU countries, Andorra, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.
• Meat, fish, dairy, and animal origin products are not allowed from non EU countries except Croatia, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland.
• Plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables are allowed in small quantities from EU countries and in some cases non EU countries.

EXPORT REGULATIONS

Free to Export

• No restriction on the quantity and value of exported items when leaving for a country outside the EU.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be taken out of the country.

• All the items on the prohibited import list.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to departure.

• There are no restrictions on the export of currency if leaving for another EU country. Funds of more than €10,000 must be declared when leaving the EU.
• Protected species and their derivative products protected under CITES require a permit for export.

For further information, please visit French Customs, French Customs Travel in peace, and the European Commission Taxation and Customs Union.