Exports of cereals classified as strategic
Government Decree 83/2022, published in the spring, tightened the export of certain grains from Hungary to foreign countries, which are considered important for the security of food supply. The regulation was originally due to apply from 8 March 2022 to 15 May 2022, but the newly declared state of emergency extended its validity indefinitely by Government Decree 190/2022.
The Government Decree makes the export of certain grains abroad subject to prior notification.
The aim of the measure is to ensure that sales or exports abroad do not jeopardise or put at risk the supply of domestic consumers and livestock farmers.
The notification obligation does not apply to exports in transit from Hungary and humanitarian aid.
The State shall have the right of first refusal or purchase in the case of the sale abroad or delivery without ownership of the following products.
1. | Customs tariff number | Name of product |
2. | 10019900 | wheat and meslin, except seed and durum wheat |
3. | 10011900 | durum wheat other than for sowing |
4. | 10029000 | rye, other than for sowing |
5. | 10039000 | barley, other than for sowing |
6. | 10049000 | oats, other than for sowing |
7. | 10059000 | corn, other than for sowing |
8. | 12019000 | Soya beans, whether or not broken, other than for sowing |
9. | 12060091 | Grey and white-stripied sunflower seeds, with or without shell, other than for sowing |
10. | 12060099 | Other sunflower seeds, other than for sowing (excl. Grey and white-stripied sunflower seeds, with or without shell) |
To ensure the exercise of the right of first refusal or purchase, the export of grains abroad must be notified in advance to the National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH).
The notification must be made using the notification form available on the NÉBIH website, which can be downloaded from the following link.
According to the information on the NÉBIH website, the notification form must be signed, stamped and scanned and sent to gabonakivitel@nebih.gov.hu.
You can also use the following submission method:
For legal persons / other organisations / individual enterpreneours:
-electronically:
NEBIHKER (KRID): 427392978
For natural persons:
- electronically:
NEBIHKER (KRID): 427392978
-per post:
1024 Budapest, Keleti Károly u. 24.
1525 Budapest, Pf. 30.
The notification shall include:
- the contract of sale or the accepted offer and, if available, the invoice, or
- a copy of the contract of shipment or other document proving the intended shipment abroad.
If these documents are in a foreign language, a certified Hungarian translation must be attached to the application.
The State may exercise its right of first refusal or purchase by a declaration made by the end of the thirtieth day following the date of notification.
The dispatch of grains from the territory of Hungary to a foreign country may be started if the State has not made a declaration within the time limit or has made a declaration that it does not intend to exercise the right of purchase.
Please note that the notification and its documentation must accompany the shipment.
Where the State exercises its right of purchase, NÉBIH shall immediately inform the notifier that the State exercises its right of purchase in respect of the cereals specified in the notification. Compliance with the Government Decree is monitored by the police and the State Tax and Customs Administration.
In case of a non-copliance the Authorities go into action without notification. If the declarant has failed to comply with the obligation to declare under the Regulation, the police or the State Tax and Customs Administration will impose an administrative fine of up to 40 % of the value of the undeclared cereals, exclusive of VAT, on the declarant.