Information on Personal Consignments in Luggage or through Postal, Courier & Online Services

Personal Consignments

Personal Consignments” are products of plant or animal origin for personal use that are brought into the country for non-commercial reasons. They can either be carried in personal luggage or received via post or courier.
Personal consignments containing meat, milk or their products brought into the EU can carry diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease and African Swine Fever. Restrictions therefore apply both to goods in personal luggage and small consignments sent to private individuals (including those ordered online) by postal and courier services.
Personal consignments brought into Ireland from countries outside the EU regulatory zone (this now includes Great Britain, but not Northern Ireland) are subject to restriction, and in some cases are prohibited (see below).
The movement of personal consignments between Ireland and Northern Ireland is allowed. These movements are covered by the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland as part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Those movements may continue as they did prior to Brexit with no new checks or controls being applied to goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland in either direction.

Live animals, including live insects, are not allowed to be imported into Ireland in the luggage of a traveller or through postal/courier services from non-EU countries including Great Britain.

Personal consignments of meat, milk or their products are not allowed from non-EU countries including Great Britain;
Products of animal origin, composite products and products derived from animal by-products which form part of passengers’ personal luggage intended for personal consumptionor use, are allowed, provided that they belong to one of the following exempted categories.
Bread, cakes, biscuits, waffles and wafers, rusks, toasted bread and similar toasted products
Chocolate and confectionery (including sweets) and other food preparations containing cocoa
Food supplements packaged for the final consumer containing processed animal products (including glucosamine, chondroitin or chitosan, or both chondroitin and chitosan)
Olives stuffed with fish
Pasta, noodles and cous cous not mixed or filled with meat product
Soup stocks and flavourings packaged for the final consumer
Extracts, essences and concentrates, of coffee, tea or maté and preparations with a basis of these products or with a basis of coffee, tea or maté thereof. Roasted chicory and other roasted coffee substitutes, and extracts, essences and concentrates thereof
Liqueurs and cordials

The following plants and plant products may not be brought into the State from a third country, including Great Britain, without a phytosanitary certificate being presented to the Dept of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine at the point of entry:
Plants
Fruit
Vegetables
Cut flowers
Seeds
Soil & Timber

Exemptions from Phytosanitary Certification – Certain fruits are exempt from Phytosanitary certification due to the low risk nature for transmission of pests and diseases. The following fruits from third countries are exempt from phytosanitary certification when brought into the EU:
Bananas
Durians
Dates
Pineapples
Coconuts