There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to Slovenia. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.
- Products Of Animal Origin are goods which contain at least partly material derived from the body of an animal. These products can be divided in food or non-food.
Food means any substance, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, which is intended for human consumption, but does not include cosmetics or substances used only as pharmaceuticals.
Non-Food (not intended for human consumption) includes animal by-products, animal feed, samples for testing or research purposes (food-grade or non-food grade), and in vitro diagnostics (IVD).
Animal products and animal by-products are often subject to a veterinary inspection. These products can only be accepted under a special contract for International Special Commodities (ISC). In addition those products must undergo veterinary checks at an approved Veterinary Border Inspection Post (BIP) when entering the EU & EFTA countries or territories (EU regulations are aligned for EU countries or territories and NO; IS; CH; LI).
For UPS shipments arriving in the EU by air, Cologne is the first point of arrival /BIP. Inspections will be processed at Cologne but final customs clearance process will be issued in the destination country or territory.
Additional charges for Vet-inspection will be applicable see Brokerage Services and Charges.
Import requirements:
Generally, each type of Product of Animal Origin has specific import requirements that must be met. Food which is subject to veterinary inspections must:
Come from an EU listed Third Country or Territory (no safeguard measures in place)
Come from an EU approved establishment . Registered producers are listed under the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/food/international/trade/third_en.htm
Be accompanied by appropriate Health Certificate(s), signed by a veterinarian of the competent authority of country or territory of export. Photocopies of the Health Certificate will not be accepted.
Be appropriately packaged and labelled, indicating the nature, ingredients, quantity/ weight, the country or territory of origin and manufacturer.
Any foodstuff coming from non-approved establishments, sent as samples for testing purposes, can only be imported with a permit/license from a respective national veterinary authority. The permit/license must be send to the border inspection point responsible for the veterinary inspection. Delays may occur as the license needs to be provided already at the time of inspection.
Any non-compliant shipment must be returned at shippers expense immediately. The following exemptions apply to non-commercial shipments / gift shipments or purchased by private individuals for private consumption):
Meat, meat products, animal fat - max. 10 kg from Faroe Island and Greenland.
Fish and fish products (with intestines and organs removed) - max. 20 kg from all third countries or territories; no limitation from Faroe Islands.
Other animal products (for example, honey, egg, frog, live mussels - max. 10 kg from Faroe Islands and Greenland, and max. 2 kg from all other third countries or territories).
- Goods which are destined for an exhibition may be subject to duty & tax. There are very detailed Customs regulations regarding goods for exhibitions that need to be followed by SI Brokerage in regards to classification of the goods. It is solely the decision of SI customs if import charges must be paid. Hence, shipments for exhibitions - which are normally time sensitive - should preferably have UPS Billing Option "Free Domicile" in order to avoid possible delays in delivery due to payment issues in the destination country or territory. Even if the billing option is Free Domicile it is highly recommended that shippers attach a confirmation that they are willing to pay the SI import charges in case they incur. This will help to avoid clearance and delivery delays.
Furthermore, shippers should ensure that the proforma invoice lists the name of a contact person and a valid phone/mobile phone number so that Brokerage in the destination country or territory can get in contact with the consignee of the goods in oder to agree on the clearance procedure.
- Fish and fish products are considered Animal Products. For additional information please see 'Animal Products' and 'Food'.
- Certain food products (for example, figs, nuts, spices) are subject to inspection at authorized customs offices only. They can not be imported at the UPS import site. They must be returned or forwarded under bond to another customs broker assigned by the importer. Additional costs apply.
A veterinarian inspection or a Health Certificate may be required to import processed food depending on the percentage of animal products contained. A veterinarian determines the requirements for an inspection or Health Certificate based on the percentage of egg, meat, fish, milk, and milk products (especially cheese). The percentages of egg, milk, milk products, fish and meat should be stated on the invoice to support customs clearance.
Brokerage accessorial charges will apply and an import delay may occur.
Based on the EU regulation 2009/669/EC certain foodstuffs (for example tea with origin China) imported from certain third countries or territories are subject to increased level of official controls due to contamination risks of these products by aflatoxinson and pathogens. These controls are carried out at Designated Point of Entries (DPE) defined by each member state.
The import of feed and food originating in or consigned from Japan following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station and not subject to vet inspection can only be imported into the EU through Designated Point of Entries (DPE). They must be accompanied by a declaration attesting that the goods are either harvested or processed before March 11, 2011, originated from a prefecture other than the ones affected by higher levels of radiation or if originated from an affected prefecture have been subjected to laboratory analysis determining the level of certain radionuclides (regulation 2011/297/EC).
The customs office responsible for oSlovenian import sites are not defined as DPE. Commodities subject to import controls at a DPE can't be imported with UPS.
- Customs classifies certain food supplements as medicine, especially vitamins with higher dosage than twice the recommended daily allowance and other products with physiological effects.
Private individuals cannot import medicine without an import license.
Food supplements classified as medicine in Germany and shipped without an Import License will be returned to the shipper or destroyed under customs control.
For additional information please see 'Medicine'.
- The European Union (EU) has placed an import ban on Honey from certain countries or territories.
Before shipping Honey to a European Union country or territory, it is highly recommended to contact your local chamber of commerce or your importer for detailed information.
If the importation is allowed by the European Union, the shipment must be accompanied by an original health certificate provided by the shipper/producer, otherwise, importation will not be possible. Furthermore, a vet inspection at the first point of arrival into the EU is required, even for sample shipments.
Brokerage accessorial charges will apply and an import delay may occur.
If the shipper fails to verify the import regulation of the destination country or territory and sends honey which is prohibited by the European Union, then all charges that may apply for the respective shipment will be billed back to the shipper.
- Data shipments require an invoice with the value of the data and the value of the CD-ROM or disk.
- Meat is considered Animal Products.
For additional information please see 'Animal Products' and 'Food'.
- Individuals cannot import medicine. Medicine shipments addressed to private individuals have to be returned or abandoned.
Medical companies registered as dedicated importers with an Import License can import medicine or they can accept samples of medicines for testing purposes without special license.
The import of medical products without a valid Import License/ is prohibited and will be returned to shipper or destroyed under customs control, in both circumstances additional costs will occur.
- The invoice must include a description of the part, the machine for which the part will be used, and a list of the part's components.
- Customers must use an authorized UPS / MBE (Mail Boxes Etc) Store, UPS Customer Center or ISC Approved Shipper to ship personal effects.
The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc, UPS Customer Center or ISC approved shipper will be required to identify personal effect shipments on the shipping label by placing "Personal Effects" in the Reference Field of a UPS "smart" label or in the Special Instructions Field of a UPS waybill. They must also clearly indicate 'Personal Effects' shipment on the Commercial Invoice.
Personal Effects are classified as used items (owned for a minimum of 6 months) intended for the consignee's personal use. Any items intended for any other use, such as wholesale or retail sales, business purposes, or for distribution are not considered personal effects and cannot be shipped on this basis. "Personal Effects" must be clearly stated on the invoice and goods description.
All of the following documents must be scanned into DIS/SIR and originals on the package:
An inventory list with estimated values with the reason for importation (holidays, move, relocation) A confirmation that the goods are older than 6 months and that they are intended for personal use only A photocopy of passport or ID card Any items intended for any other use, such as wholesale or retail sales, business purposes, or for distribution are not considered personal effects and cannot be shipped on this basis.
Excisable goods (for example, perfume, alcoholic drinks, tobacco), medicine and perishable food can not be cleared as personal effects.
Personal effects shipments are not allowed in combination with Return Services.
- Samples of no commercial value can be imported free of duty and VAT under special circumstances. Samples marked or mutilated in a way that ensures the only use is a sample can be imported without duty and VAT in a number necessary for the purpose of testing.
- In order to avoid wrong customs declarations at import, it is mandatory that the exporter provide very detailed information about the shoes (for example, what kind of leather, what material used for soles and uppers, what kind of shoes (sport shoes, sandals, boots), who is to wear the shoes (children, women, men).
- A Health Certificate from the country or territory of origin must accompany shipments of smoked salmon.
A veterinary Health Certificate from the country or territory of origin must accompany shipments of smoked salmon from non-E.U. countries or territories. A certified veterinarian must then permit importation at the import site. Accessorial charges will apply.
For additional information please see Animal Products and Food.
- Most of modern test reagents for diagnostic research are built on antibodies which are generated from animal tissue. There are two types of antibodies, the monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antibodies.
Monoclonal antibodies are generated in vitro. Tissue from animals are taken (e.g. blood) and infected with certain substances or pathogens. The blood cells react with the production of antibodies which are than harvested and used for the production of the test kits. Due to the in vitro production and the controlled way of production those types of test kits are not subject to veterinarian control if it is a commercial production.
Polyclonal antibodies are gained from living animals like rabbits. They are infected with the substances / pathogens and the animals are producing antibodies. The antibodies are harvested from the blood stream of the animals. Test reagents with polyclonal antibodies are subject to vet inspections.
Shipment documents (commercial invoice or declaration on letterhead) should include:
the place of origin of the material
the quantity of the material, in weight or volume
a description of the material/ animal source
catalogue number and price (if available)
additives (e.g., sodium azide, glycerol), their source (e.g., whole serum, supernatant, ascites), and purification, if any.
protocols the recommended protocol or datasheet indicating any unique fixation, detergent, blocking, or incubation conditions.
the intended use (commercial/ manufacturing; research/ testing)
the name and address of the shipper
the name and address of the receiver
Commercially packaged, ready-to-use In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) containing products of animal of origin, do not require a Vet-inspection, if compliant with Directive 98/79/EC on In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices. A declaration of conformity (CE-marking) must be provided for each individual commodity (e.g. reagents, test kits, immunosorbent assays such as ELISA kits.
- A certificate of origin is not required for the import clearance of textiles. The need of a certificate of origin for the import clearance was reversed on October 24, 2011.
The country or territory of origin must be stated on the invoice for each invoice line. If the customs authorities doubt the correctness of the declared country or territory of origin they may request an additional proof which might be a certificate of origin.
- Data shipments require an invoice with the character of the USB stick (storing intercompany data) and the value of the USB Stick.
- Vitamins are considered medicine if the dosage exceeds considerably the limits based on the recommended daily allowance. For additional information please see Medicine.
- Shipping of alcoholic beverages is only permitted ISC contract service. For general service restrictions please see info under alcoholic beverages.
Wine and wine products are subject to excise duty. The excise duty is calculated based on the alcoholic strength by volume. The information must be shown on the invoice.
The import of wine and wine products is also regulated by a market organization of the European Union with rules on labelling and presentation of wine and additional documentation. The Importation of wine and wine products are subject to the presentation of an:
Certificate showing drawn up by a competent body, included on a list to be made public by the Commission, in the products country or territory of origin.
An analysis report drawn up by a body or department designated by the products country or territory of origin, in so far as the product is intended for direct human consumption.
No certificate or analysis report need be presented for products originating in and exported from third countries or territories in labelled containers of not more than five litres fitted with a non-reusable closing device where the total quantity transported, whether or not made up of separate consignments, does not exceed 100 litres. Wine shipments requiring or accompanied by certificates or analysis reports cant be cleared by UPS.
The labels of wine and wine products have to show some of the following compulsory particulars like the category of the product (e.g. wine, sparkling wine, liquor wine), the protected designation or protected geographical indication if the wine has such a protection, the actual alcohol strength by volume, an indication of provenance, an indication of the bottler or an indication of the producer or vendor in case of sparkling wine and other product categories of sparkling wine.
The rules are laid down in EU regulation 2009/491. The regulation can be checked on the EU website http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html.