What food, alcohol and tobacco can you bring into the EU?

Not meat and not dairy, whatever the quantity. The EU’s Your Europe guide says that if you travel to the EU from a non-EU country, “you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you”. Alcohol, tobacco and other goods are allowed up to set limits, and you pay no VAT or excise duty inside them. The limits below come from that guide, which was last checked on its page on 21 September 2026 (alcohol) and 21 October 2026 (food).

Can I bring food from the US into the EU?

Some, not all. The Your Europe page on animal products, food and plants lists what a traveller from outside the EU may carry. Per person, it names:

• Fruit and vegetables, eggs, egg products and honey, in “a limited quantity”. The only figure given is a catch-all row of 2 kg for other products with no meat or milk, such as honey.
• Fishery products: “20 kg or 1 fish (whichever weighs most)”.
• Powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods needed for medical reasons: no more than 2 kg, with no refrigeration needed before opening, in branded retail packaging that is unbroken unless in current use.
• Pet food needed for health reasons: no more than 2 kg, for the pet travelling with you, on the same shelf-stable, branded, unbroken terms.

Plants and plant products, including cut flowers, need a phytosanitary (plant health) certificate. A jar of peanut butter is not a category the page names, so read the table before you pack anything it does not list.

What happens if I carry meat or cheese and do not declare it?

The guide spells it out. Meat or dairy products you have not declared “will be confiscated and destroyed”, and you “may also be fined or face criminal prosecution”. The practical reading for a US visitor is simple: leave the salami and the cheese at home, or eat them before the flight. Buying them in Europe is fine, and the guide lets you carry meat and dairy between EU countries for your own use.

How much alcohol can I bring into the EU?

The Your Europe page on alcohol, tobacco and excise duties gives these allowances for people entering from a non-EU country, free of VAT and excise duty so long as the goods are “not for resale”:

• 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer, and in addition:
• 1 litre of spirits over 22% vol., or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine. The guide says this second group is one total allowance that you can split, for example half a litre of spirits and 1 litre of fortified wine.

Under-17s have no duty-free alcohol or tobacco allowance, the guide says.

How many cigarettes can I bring into the EU?

It depends on the country you enter. The guide gives a higher limit of 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, and a lower limit of 40 cigarettes, 20 cigarillos, 10 cigars or 50 g. The lower limit applies to everyone in Estonia and Romania, and to land and sea travellers only in Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. The guide calls its list “indicative” and tells you to check the customs authority of the country you are visiting. You can mix products, but you must not go over the total.

What is the limit for other goods, such as perfume or gifts?

The guide says you may carry other goods, perfume included, up to €300 per traveller, or €430 for travellers by air and sea. Some EU countries apply a lower limit of €150 for travellers under 15. On a transatlantic flight, the €430 figure is the one that applies to you.

Does this have anything to do with ETIAS or the EES?

Not directly. Customs allowances are a separate check from the passport check. ETIAS is not in operation and the EU has announced no launch date, so no one can apply for it today. The EUR 20 fee will not apply to under-18s or over-70s once it opens. Our ETIAS page for US citizens and the ETIAS status page hold the current position. If you arrive with a large amount of cash as well, see our guide to the EUR 10,000 cash declaration.