You run a grocery shop or a restaurant, or you are starting a small import business, and you want to bring food products from Vietnam, Thailand or China to sell in France? The rules are not those for a traveller: every consignment goes through health checks. Here are the steps, explained simply.
For information only, up to date on 1 November 2026. General information, not legal advice. For your specific case, ask customs and the inspection services before your first order.
Step 1: the EORI number
To import from a country outside the European Union, your business must be registered with customs and obtain an EORI number (it starts with "FR" followed by your business number). The application is made online on the customs portal. It is the first formality, even for a micro-enterprise. Import VAT is also due.
Step 2: know which family your product belongs to
| Family | Examples | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Products of animal origin | fish, dried shrimp, fish sauce, honey | The country AND the plant must be authorised by the European Union; official health certificate; mandatory check on arrival |
| Fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs | chillies, mangoes, rau răm, basil | Phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin (except banana, coconut, durian, date, pineapple); check on arrival |
| Dry and processed products of plant origin | tea, noodles without meat, rice, dry spices, sauces without animal products | Usually no health certificate (to be checked for each product), but labelling and food safety rules apply; some are subject to increased controls (see step 3) |
Fishery products: China, Vietnam and Thailand are on the list of authorised countries, but only approved plants (listed on the European lists) may export to the Union. Always ask your supplier for its approval number, and check it. Fresh eggs: these three countries are not among the authorised countries.
Step 3: products under increased controls
The European Union increases controls on certain products from certain countries when problems (pesticide residues, moulds…) have been found. The list changes several times a year (Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, last amendment found: June 2026). For example, according to the June 2026 version:
- Vietnam: durian, okra, chillies, dragon fruit;
- Thailand: chillies, passion fruit;
- China: peanuts, tea, crushed sweet peppers, and others.
For these products, a share of the consignments is analysed on arrival; for some, a certificate and analyses from the country of origin are also required. Always check the version in force on EUR-Lex before ordering.
Step 4: crossing the border
Products of animal origin and fresh plants arrive through a border control post (an equipped port or airport). The border veterinary and plant health inspection service (SIVEP, French Ministry of Agriculture) checks the documents, the identity of the goods and, if necessary, carries out analyses. If everything is in order, it validates a common health entry document (CHED, « DSCE » in French), filled in in advance in the European TRACES system, which you then present to customs. In practice, your freight forwarder or customs broker often takes care of this: ask them.
Step 5: the label in French
A product sold in France must carry the mandatory particulars of the European regulation on food information to consumers (Regulation (EU) 1169/2011): name of the product, list of ingredients, allergens highlighted, quantity, date (use-by or best-before), storage conditions, name and address of the operator, country of origin when required. These particulars must be in French. A label only in Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese is not enough: plan a French label stuck on each product. See our guide instructions and labels in French.
What the Passerelle does not accept
Food supplements and alcohol follow special rules, and the Passerelle does not present them (see our registration conditions).
Checklist before the first order
- I have my EORI number.
- I know which family my product belongs to (animal, fresh plant, dry or processed).
- Animal product: I have the plant's approval number and I have checked it.
- I have checked whether the product is under increased controls (Regulation 2019/1793, version in force).
- My freight forwarder knows that a SIVEP check is needed, and which border post to use.
- My French label is ready, with the allergens.
- I have checked that my supplier exists in the official register of its country.
Who to contact
- Customs: EORI number, formalities, duties and VAT (douane.gouv.fr).
- SIVEP (French Ministry of Agriculture): health and plant health checks at the border.
- The departmental directorate for the protection of populations (DDPP) of your département: safety of the food you sell.
To go further
Looking for a food supplier in Asia, verified in the official register of its country?
Publish a requestSources (consulted on 1 November 2026): Entreprendre Service Public, « Importations effectuées par un micro-entrepreneur » (fact sheet F21919); French Ministry of Agriculture, « Le SIVEP » (updated on 29/05/2026); European Commission, "Non-EU countries – authorised establishments"; Regulations (EU) 2017/625 (official controls), 2021/405 (authorised countries), 2019/1793 as amended in 2026 (increased controls), 2016/2031 (plant health), 1169/2011 (food information to consumers). The customs website could not be consulted on the day of writing. For information only: this information does not engage the liability of Passerelle France-Asie; only the authorities are authoritative.