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Can I bring precooked bacon in original package from the grocery store from the USA to Germany in my checked in luggage?

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    @pnuts: FWIW, I think I've never seen precooked bacon in Germany.
    – Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 15:04

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Although the import* of food for private use or consumption is permitted in principle in Germany, meat, milk and dairy products must meet the same veterinary requirements as those applying to commercial imports.

Quoted from source [2]:

This means that travellers who are carrying such products may only enter the European Union through those points of entry where a veterinarian is on duty. The necessary health certificates and a validated Common Veterinary Entry Document - CVED (Gemeinsames Veterinärdokument für die Einfuhr - GVDE) must also accompany the products.

Competent veterinary border control posts in Germany are listed in the following pdf document. Not sure where you plan on entering Germany, but most likely you'll be arriving at one of the airports, most of which seem to be listed in the document.

If you don't want to go through the process of acquiring the appropriate documents, which, to be honest, sounds like quite a hassle (they sell bacon in Germany too...), then the answer is most likely: no. You could still bring it along and declare it at the airport if you're really keen, but chances are you'll be forced to dispose of it on the spot, which would be kind of a waste. In my opinion, you're probably better off buying some local bacon instead.

Sources: [1] [2]

  • = import here refers to small amounts that travellers cart with them in their luggage or that are sent in small quantities.
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No.

Travellers are not in general allowed to bring in meat, milk or their products, unless they are coming with less than 10 kilograms of meat, milk or their products from Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, or Iceland.

(EUROPA: Trade and Imports of Animal Products - Introduction of personal consignments)

To untangle this a bit:

  • Travellers are 'in general' allowed to import:

    • meat,
    • things made from meat,
    • milk,
    • things made from milk

  • only if:

    • You have less than 10kg of it, and
    • You are importing it from Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, or Iceland

It looks like you could send them by FedEx though, if you get them certified by the vetinary authorities at your end:

The importation of food products containing meat or milk products for personal consumption is prohibited unless accompanied by the necessary documentation from the official veterinary services of the country of origin.

https://smallbusiness.fedex.com/international/country-snapshots/germany

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  • You answer no to the question, but your quote says that importing < 10kg meat is in fact allowed. Which is true?
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 16:24
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    @JoErNanO: Importing < 10kg of meat is allowed if you are importing it from Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, or Iceland (i.e. not the USA).
    – A E
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 16:26
  • No, I don't believe so. The subject of the sentence is "meat, milk or their products" ('their products' being things made from milk or meat). Let's call them "the things". Then the sentence reads "Travellers are not in general allowed to bring in the things, unless they are coming with less than 10 kilograms of the things from Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, or Iceland."
    – A E
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 16:36
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    Ok I understand that's actually read milk or their products. So yes your answer makes sense. :)
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 16:42
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    We once ordered a product that contained bacon from thinkgeek to Germany. They shipped it, and the whole shipment got confiscated by customs. We had to pay customs (normal), a penalty for trying to import unallowed stuff, the vet to check it, storage for the whole shipment and the disposal/destruction of the bacon-stuff. When telling thinkgeek, they appologized and said usually they don't ship it to Germany, their mistake. They refunded everything and gave a discount. Still, don't try to mail bacon from overseas to Germany. It's not worth the hassle unless it's something very hard to aquire.
    – simbabque
    Commented Nov 26, 2014 at 12:24

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