Many caterers are unaware of the obligations that come with ordering food from abroad, from another country. Establishment, registration, data reporting - we have summarised the most important ones.
In the hospitality industry, more people are taking advantage of the option of having their ingredients shipped in from another country, but in many cases this is more of a loss than a gain, as other it is subject to legislation, than for doing business with domestic companies. Failure to comply with these administrative obligations will result in a significant fine, so it is worth checking before you buy.
The most important
Buyers, customers, if they purchase food directly from abroad, the place of supply they must register as the first place of storage with the competent government office, and must also provide monthly data on receipts and keep records. The above notification can be replaced by EKAER registration.
The official law: in the case of food imported from abroad, from another EU Member State or from a so-called third country outside the European Union for the purpose of distribution, if the first place of storage in Hungary is the establishment of the enterprise, the operating entrepreneur must declare this activity and send regular reports on the consignments received, in accordance with the Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Hungary No.3/2010 [Decree 3/2010 (VII. 5.) VM. However, it does not have to send the report for consignments for which it has fulfilled its reporting obligations in the EKÁER system. portal.nebih.gov.hu)
(If you have not yet registered on EKAER, you can do so HERE.)
What is the first storage location in Hungary?
Establishment in the territory of Hungary where foodstuffs originating from a third country or traded between Member States were first placed in storage with a view to being placed on the market or to being used for the manufacture of unprocessed or processed products: www. portal.nebih.gov.hu)
It's not worth the risk!
Mostly there are economic reasons for importing from abroad, such as not having to pay VAT on foreign purchases, or even the fact that some caterers and entrepreneurs can buy with a price advantage. Most of these purchases are successful, but experience shows that the above-mentioned legislation is either not known or not complied with, and the administration is then no longer in compliance, i.e. it is against the law. It is therefore not worth taking the risk, but rather to keep informed about our administrative obligations.
(More information here on the legislation and data provision.)
