Import / Export

Trade documentation, import authorizations, bilateral agreements, and customs requirements.

Cross-border cannabis trade runs on per-shipment authorizations. Nearly every regulated market requires an import authorization — and usually a matching export authorization from the origin country — for every single shipment. Blanket or annual permits are rare. The document chain typically includes the import permit, a Certificate of Analysis per batch, the manufacturer's GMP certificate, the cultivation site's GACP certificate, and customs classification (usually HS 1211.90).

Source-country selection is the strategic decision. Germany accepts imports from any country with a recognized national control authority; Australia runs a dual TGA/ODC permit system; Israel's framework is export-focused; Colombia and Thailand launched dedicated export regimes in 2024–2026. Bilateral recognition of GMP through PIC/S membership determines which supply chains are viable and which require an EU-based finishing step.

Key considerations

• Authorizations are per-shipment — no blanket annual permits in major markets
• Most trades need both an import permit and the origin country's export permit
• Document chain: import authorization, batch COA, GMP and GACP certificates, phytosanitary where applicable
• Customs classification (HS 1211.90) and narcotics declarations apply at entry
• PIC/S GMP recognition decides which routes are direct and which need EU finishing