Restrictions and prohibitions in the EU

Prohibitions mean inadmissibility, exclusion of the possibility to import or export goods. Restrictions are specific requirements or conditions that are mandatory for the import or export of certain goods. These may be quantitative restrictions, licensing, and export control or documentary requirements, etc. For example, the release for free circulation in the EU of imported substances listed in Annex I of the Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 on substances that deplete the ozone layer is subject to quantitative limits (quotas).

Legal provisions are set out in Articles 134 and 267 of the Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 (the Union Customs Code): goods brought into the customs territory of the Union or taken out of it shall, where applicable, be subject to such prohibitions and restrictions as are justified on grounds of, inter alia,

• public morality, public policy or public security;
• the protection of the health and life of humans, animals or plants;
• the protection of the environment;
• the protection of national treasures possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value;
• the protection of industrial or commercial property;

including controls

• on drug precursors;
• on goods infringing certain intellectual property rights
• and cash;

as well as to the implementation

• of fishery conservation and management measures
• and of commercial policy measures.