Guide

Importing food from Türkiye into the EU: origin, border checks and labels

Lotvela · Gaziantep · Checked 28 October 2026

To import food from Türkiye, an EU buyer needs an EORI number, the right customs proof and an EU business that answers for the food's safety, traceability and label. Processed foods in the customs union travel on an A.TR; agricultural products such as nuts, dried fruit, pulses and olive oil need a EUR.1 or an origin declaration for a preference. Foods listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, such as Turkish dried figs and pistachios, are also pre-notified on a CHED-D in TRACES and checked at a border control post.

The trade regime: customs union or Decision 1/98

The EU–Türkiye customs union, complete since 1 July 1996, covers industrial and processed agricultural products, with special conditions for the latter. They move on an A.TR, which proves free-circulation status, not origin.

Agricultural products listed in Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU fall outside it and trade under Decision No 1/98. A preference needs a EUR.1 or an origin declaration by the exporter. Türkiye's Ministry of Trade says this trade runs on the revised pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) rules of origin from 1 January 2026, with the same two proofs.

Turkish product group	HS chapter or heading	Proof for the EU
Hazelnuts, pistachios, dried figs, dried apricots	Chapter 8	EUR.1 or origin declaration
Pulses; spices such as cumin; cereals and flour	Chapters 7, 9, 10 and 11	EUR.1 or origin declaration
Olive oil	Heading 1509	EUR.1 or origin declaration
Tahini, fruit and nut pastes	Chapter 20 (tahini 2008.19)	EUR.1 or origin declaration
Bulgur, pasta, biscuits	Chapter 19 (bulgur 1904.30)	A.TR
Tahini halva, chocolate	Headings 1704 and 1806	A.TR

See all products on what we source.

Where to check duties and quotas

Rates change by code, so we give none. TARIC, the EU tariff, shows duties, preferences, tariff quotas and prohibitions per code; Access2Markets' My Trade Assistant shows the tariff for Turkish-origin goods.

Who the importer is and what it answers for

Under Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, imported food must meet EU food law or conditions recognised as equivalent (Article 11), and each food business answers for the activities it controls (Article 17). For the importer:

Traceability. It must tell the authorities, on demand, who supplied each food and whom it supplied (Article 18).
Withdrawal. If it believes a food it imported is unsafe, it must withdraw it at once and inform the authorities (Article 19).
The label. If the brand owner is outside the EU, the importer answers for the food information.

It also needs an EORI number from the customs authority of its member state. For supplier checks, use our sourcing checklist.

Border controls under Regulation (EU) 2017/625

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 sends some goods to the border control post (BCP) of first arrival, including animal products, regulated plants and goods under increased controls. For food of non-animal origin, the main list is Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793; other food is checked according to risk.

For a listed consignment, the operator responsible completes its part of a CHED-D in TRACES before arrival. The BCP makes documentary checks, plus identity and physical checks at the annex frequency, and charges fees. Customs release the goods only against a finalised CHED.

Annex II goods also need an official certificate and results from an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory, sharing one identification code with every bag. The certificate is valid for up to four months from issue and six months from the results. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1206 replaced both annexes from 30 June 2026. For Türkiye:

Annex II: dried figs and fig products for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, 30% checks; pistachios and pistachio products for aflatoxins, 50%; unprocessed apricot kernels for cyanide, 50%; cumin seeds for pyrrolizidine alkaloids, 50%; vine leaves, oranges and mandarins for pesticide residues.
Annex I: sesame seeds for Salmonella, 30%; dried oregano for pyrrolizidine alkaloids; fresh lemons, pomegranates, peppers and tomatoes for pesticide residues.
Not listed: hazelnuts, dried apricots, bulgur, cereals and pulses. Tahini and halva are not named, but the sesame entry includes codes under heading 2008 19, where tahini is classed, so have your broker check your code.

The lists are reviewed at least every six months. Our monthly count of EU alerts tracks RASFF notifications on Turkish nuts and dried fruit.

Pesticide residues and contaminants

Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 sets maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides, with a default of 0.01 mg/kg where no specific MRL exists. The EU Pesticides Database lists MRLs by product.

Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets maximum levels for contaminants such as aflatoxins and ochratoxin A. Food above them may not be sold or used as an ingredient, or mixed with compliant lots. Our product pages give the limits for each nut and dried fruit; make lot results a contract term.

Labelling under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011

Article 9 lists the mandatory particulars, from name, ingredients and allergens to net quantity, date marking, the responsible operator's name and address, and a nutrition declaration.

Language. It must be easily understood where the food is sold; a member state may require particular official EU languages (Article 15).
Allergens. Annex II lists 14 groups, including nuts such as hazelnuts and pistachios, sesame, cereals containing gluten, and sulphites above 10 mg/kg as SO2, emphasised in the ingredients list.
Origin. Origin is mandatory where leaving it out could mislead. If a label gives the food's origin and the primary ingredient (over 50% of the food, or associated with its name) comes from elsewhere, it must say so; since 1 April 2020, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775 sets how. Tahini labelled Turkish but made from imported sesame needs checking.

For your own brand, see our private label guide.

Organic imports

Under Regulation (EU) 2018/848, every organic consignment needs a certificate of inspection, issued in TRACES before it leaves the exporting country; without one, it is not released at the port of arrival. The EU importer must itself be in the organic control system. Türkiye is neither recognised as equivalent nor party to an EU organic trade agreement, so Turkish organic goods are certified by control bodies the Commission recognises.

Documents checklist

Document	Who issues it	When it is needed
EORI number	Customs authority of the importer's member state	Before the first import
Commercial invoice, packing list	Exporter	Every shipment
A.TR	Exporter; a chamber approves, Turkish customs endorses	Customs union goods
EUR.1 or origin declaration	EUR.1: Turkish customs endorses. Declaration: exporter	Agricultural products, for a preference
CHED-D	Operator responsible, in TRACES; the BCP finalises it	Annex I and II foods, before arrival
Official certificate, laboratory results	Turkish competent authority; accredited laboratory	Annex II foods, every consignment
Phytosanitary certificate	Turkish plant health authorities	Where EU plant health rules require it
Certificate of inspection	Recognised organic control body, in TRACES	Every organic consignment

Our documents guide explains each.

Questions buyers ask

Do I need a EUR.1 or an A.TR for Turkish food?

It depends on the HS code. Agricultural products such as nuts, dried fruit, pulses, olive oil and tahini need a EUR.1 or an origin declaration for the Decision 1/98 preference. Processed products in the customs union, such as bulgur, biscuits and halva, travel on an A.TR. Confirm both with your broker before shipment.

Is every shipment from Türkiye checked at the border?

No. Every consignment of a food listed in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 gets a documentary check at a border control post, and a set share gets identity and physical checks: 50% for Turkish pistachios, 30% for dried figs. Unlisted food, such as hazelnuts, is checked according to risk and may still be sampled.

Who pays if a consignment is rejected?

Under Regulation (EU) 2017/625, a non-compliant consignment is detained and refused entry. The authority orders the operator responsible for it, who completes the CHED, to destroy it, re-dispatch it or have it treated, at that operator's expense. How buyer and seller share the cost is a matter for your contract.

Does a Turkish producer need EU approval or registration?

For food of non-animal origin, generally not. The Commission's Access2Markets FAQ says that in many cases the exporting business must simply be known to the importer and accepted as a supplier of food into the EU. Approved-establishment lists apply to food of animal origin. The producer must still meet EU food law.

How do I check whether a product is on the high-risk list?

Get the CN code from your broker and confirm where the food was grown. Then check both annexes of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, in their latest version, linked from the Commission's page on imported products. Entries go by country of origin and CN code, and are reviewed at least every six months.

Sending a brief to Lotvela

Lotvela is a sourcing intermediary in Gaziantep. Send a brief and we approach producers that fit, check product fit, a free production window, export record and documents, then send a dated shortlist with every claim marked confirmed or not confirmed. It is free for buyers: the producer pays a commission at the same rate for every producer, invoices and ships, and money never passes through Lotvela.