Import of fertilisers and other fertilising products

Registration is done electronically, and you will need a Norwegian company code to complete the registration. Registration may also be performed by a Norwegian-registered foreign business (NUF). For your information, we enclose link to other public information on the topic: Norwegian branch of a foreign company (NUF) (altinn.no)

Registration is free of charge. Registered companies may be contacted by the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) for providing sales statistics to be used for the national statistics on nutrients in agriculture. More information about registration and guidance can be found on the registration page.

Plant health certificates are often exchanged digitally. Read more about digital plant health certificates. In the Plant health regulation (Appendix 5A, point 9), you will find an overview of fertilising products that must be accompanied by a plant health certificate. You can see the appendix under "Regulations."

If you are importing fertilising products that require a plant health certificate, you must first register as an importer of plants and plant materials, etc. Additionally, each import shipment must be reported to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The import notification must be sent to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority before the goods arrive at the place where you conduct the reception control.

If an electronic plant health certificate accompanies the shipment instead of a paper certificate, you must also register as an importer in Digiplant to retrieve your electronic certificates. When the goods have arrived in Norway, you must conduct a reception control. This involves checking whether the plant health certificate is correctly filled out and that the content of the certificate matches the shipment's content. There should be no visible residues of soil, weeds, or pests in the batch. Furthermore, you must check that the wooden packaging, on which the goods are loaded, has valid ISPM 15 marks. If the reception control does not reveal any deficiencies, the fertilising products can be used or sold immediately. Contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority if you find errors in the shipment during the reception control.

Plant health and plant health regulations

Import of pure coconut fiber intended for producing growing media or soil covering agents in Norway can be imported from countries outside Europe without a plant health certificate.

The notification must be given before the import shipment arrives at the reception site. The notification obligation is regulated in the plant health regulation § 23.

Some certificate-required goods are exempt from the notification obligation in § 23. This includes shipments with cut and fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables.

To access the notification form, your business must be registered as an importer with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. You do this in the form "New importer of plants and plant materials, etc."

The Regulation on the production, sale, and import of fertilising products of organic origin and certain inorganic fertilising products (fertiliser regulation) ensures the quality of fertilising products and takes environmental considerations into account while facilitating the circular use of raw materials.

The regulation on the storage and use of fertilising products, etc. (Fertiliser use regulation) allows fertilising products to be stored and used while preventing pollution, health, and hygiene disadvantages. The regulation on the trade of fertilising products and liming agents, etc ensures the quality and proper use of mineral fertilisers, liming agents, and other mineral products used as fertilising products.

Read about mutual recognition (regjeringen.no). However, be aware that plant health and alien species are not part of the EEA Agreement, and mutual recognition cannot be used in these areas. Companies that import, produce, or sell fertilising products using mutual recognition must register with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority in the same way as other companies. A prerequisite for using mutual recognition when marketing fertilising products in Norway is that the product is produced according to requirements that provide the same protection for health and the environment as Norwegian regulations.

Marketing a fertiliser as an EU fertiliser can provide easier access to the EEA market. If you import organic fertilising products as EU fertilising products, you should ensure that a third-party control by a notified body (europa.eu) has been carried out where required.

For EU fertilising products marketed in Norway, the cadmium content in phosphorus-containing mineral fertilising products and organic-mineral fertilising products must be below 100 mg Cd/kg phosphorus. The labelling must be in Norwegian. Nutrients should preferably be stated in elemental form. It is recommended to label products of organic origin with heavy metal content to make it easier for users to follow the provisions in the fertiliser use regulation.

Fertilising products containing active substances listed in Regulation (EU) 540/2011 (EURLEX (eur-lex.europa.eu)) will usually be plant protection products and therefore need approval as plant protection products.

If you market an active substance as a fertiliser or use it as an ingredient in a fertiliser without approving the product as a plant protection product, you must be prepared to document that the active substance does not have a plant protection effect at the recommended dosage of the product. Fertilising products cannot be marketed with direct or preventive effects against plant pests without being approved as plant protection products.

Mycorrhiza is an example of an organisms that need approval. The regulation is administered by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

For questions related to ammonium nitrate and detonation tests contact the Directorate for Civil Protection (dsb.no).

For questions related to alien species, waste status, REACH, and CLP contact the Norwegian Environment Agency (miljodirektoratet.no).