Trade Regulations and Import Procedures for Dried Fig in the European Union

The EU common external tariff (third-country duty) on dried figs is 8%, but member states, as well as Türkiye, are exempt from the 8% duty. However, restrictions may differ on a country-by-country basis. Country-specific restrictions and trade barriers can be found on the European Commission’s Access2Markets website. 

Türkiye’s tariff and trade restrictions to Germany (EU)

Source: European Commission 

EU’s General Marketing Standards

The EU Marketing Standards are the minimum requirements for agricultural food products to ensure that they are “sound, fair, and marketable.” They are established to ensure safety for human consumption, greater transparency, and consistent quality within the market. They also facilitate international trade, allowing for better guidelines for importers and exporters of agricultural food products.

Dried figs are under the product group of edible nuts and dried fruits, with product code 0804.20.90. Dried figs are subject to the EU general marketing standards (GMS) and do not have their own specific marketing standards (SMS). The GMS stipulates the requirements pertaining to quality, maturity, and tolerances. It includes information on the minimum quality requirements, minimum maturity requirements, tolerances, and marking of origin of produce. The GMS provides broader requirements and does not provide additional product-specific standards. Thus, there has been a discussion of creating SMS for certain products in the nuts and dried fruits category.

However, the International Nuts & Dried Fruit has raised concerns to the European Commission (EC) that creating SMS for products under the nuts and dried fruit category will increase inspections. This will be costly and time-consuming for all stakeholders and create unnecessary delays and costs. In the meantime, parties can follow the international United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards. The UNECE standards are seen as a global benchmark to understand the minimum requirements it stipulates on every product. Dried figs are under the dry and dried produce category, and the UNECE’s dried fig standard was last revised in 2016 at their 72nd session. The standard lists down provisions concerning quality, size, tolerances, presentation, and marking.

UNECE’s dried fig standards

Under the UNECE standards, dried figs are classified into three classes: Extra Class, Class I, and Class II. Although dried figs in all three classes are subjected to the minimum requirements, each class has its own sizing and tolerance requirements.

Dried figs in the Extra Class are considered of superior quality. They are uniform in size and color, free from defects, and do not exceed 65 dried figs per kilogram. Dried figs in Class I are uniform in color and do not exceed 120 dried figs per kilogram. Dried figs in Class II are above the minimum requirements but are not qualified to be ranked in the higher classes and may possess skin defects.

In terms of tolerance requirements, certain percentages of defective dried figs from damages caused by insects, excessive drying, and foreign matters are tolerated in each class. For Extra Class, 10% of the minimum sample unit of 1000 grams (g) is allowed, 15% for Class I, and 30% for Class II. However, live insects and animal pests are not tolerated, although the occasional trapping of pollinating bees is not considered a defect.

EU labeling and packaging regulations for dried figs

Dried figs marketed in the EU need to comply with the EU’s labeling and packaging regulations. The minimum requirement for information display on the external packaging for bulk packages includes product name, lot identification number, storage instructions, and name and address of importer, manufacturer, packer, and distributors. For dried fruits, it is also common practice to include additional information such as the drying method used, the crop year, and the fig variety.

For retail packaging, the products need to comply with the EU’s food information to consumers regulation, which includes the newly revised origin labeling. On April 21, 2023, the EC revised the origin labeling, which came into effect in 2020. The new revision indicates that the country of origin in dried fruits is mandatory and requires clearer labeling for increased transparency. The regulation on food information to consumers also requires information on nutrition labeling and allergen labeling with clear legibility. 

Labeling Information of sun-dried figs produced and packaged in Türkiye

Source: Amazon

New updates on EC’s regulation on toxins in dried figs

Contamination is a serious issue in importing dried fruits into the EU. Mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A and aflatoxins are produced by fungi during the drying and storing processes. They are most commonly found in dried figs and are formed during the drying and storing stages due to poor humidity and temperature control. These toxins are considered carcinogenic and pose a risk to human health upon consumption. In 2012, the EU set the maximum level for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) to be 6 μg/kg and for total aflatoxin including AFB1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2 to be 10 μg/kg.

While there were no restrictions on ochratoxin A in dried fig, the EC revised the maximum levels of ochratoxin A, setting the maximum level to 8 μg/kg effective from 2023. This revision comes after the 2020 scientific opinion updated by the European Food Safety Authority.

Dried figs that do not follow these guidelines and standards are not allowed to enter the European market and are rejected at the EU border. Repeated offenses of non-compliance may lead to suspensions from the countries or increased import conditions, as is the case in Türkiye. Dried fig imports from Türkiye are subject to special conditions due to the higher contamination risk of aflatoxins, requiring 20% identity and physical sampling check frequencies.

Discussion, drafts, revision, and updates on the standards and requirements to export dried figs into the EU are constant as new scientific opinions and concerns are made. To tap into one of the largest dried fruit and dried fig markets, exporters and importers need to be updated with EU regulations and updated modifications.