Slovenia Product Certification Requirements for Pet Food

Bringing pet food to market in Slovenia, whether you manufacture, import, or distribute it, means meeting a robust set of EU and national requirements. Pet food (officially "feed" for animals) is regulated to protect animal health, and ultimately human health, so the rules are detailed. Here's a clear overview of what compliance looks like for pet food in Slovenia. (This is general guidance, not legal advice, always consult the official rules and the competent authority.)

The foundation: EU feed law applies in Slovenia

As an EU member, Slovenia applies the EU's harmonised feed legislation rather than purely national rules. Pet food is legally classed as "feed" (feedingstuffs for non-food-producing animals), and the core framework includes:

• Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, general food/feed law principles (safety, traceability).
• Regulation (EC) No 183/2005, feed hygiene requirements.
• Regulation (EC) No 767/2009, placing on the market and labelling of feed.
• Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009, animal by-products (ABP) rules, crucial for pet food, since it's largely made from animal by-products.
• Rules on feed additives, undesirable substances, and contaminants.

Compliance demonstrated to these EU rules generally permits sale across Slovenia and the rest of the single market.

Establishment registration or approval

A key requirement: feed business operators must be registered, and in many cases approved, with the competent authority. In Slovenia, the relevant authority is the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection (UVHVVR), under the Ministry.

• Manufacturers and processors handling animal by-products typically need approval under the ABP regulation.
• Importers, distributors, and storage operators usually need at least registration.
• You must operate under feed hygiene rules, often implementing HACCP-based safety procedures.

Animal by-products (ABP) rules

Because pet food is mostly made from animal by-products (meat not used for human consumption), the ABP Regulation (1069/2009) is central. It:

• Defines which categories of material may be used in pet food (only certain lower-risk categories are permitted).
• Requires processing and traceability to control disease risk.
• Governs imports of pet food and raw materials from outside the EU, which must come from approved sources and meet veterinary import conditions.

Labelling requirements

Pet food labelling in Slovenia must comply with EU rules (Reg. 767/2009) and be in Slovenian for the local market. Typical mandatory information includes:

• Type of feed ("complete" or "complementary" pet food).
• Species/category of animal it's intended for.
• Ingredients/composition and analytical constituents (protein, fat, fibre, ash, etc.).
• Additives (e.g. vitamins, preservatives) as required.
• Net quantity, batch number, best-before date, and storage instructions.
• Feeding instructions and the name/address of the responsible operator, plus the approval number where applicable.
• A free-phone or contact for additional ingredient information, as required.

Claims (e.g. nutritional or functional claims) must be truthful and substantiated, and special "dietetic" pet foods (for particular nutritional purposes) have additional rules.

Safety: contaminants, additives, and traceability

• Undesirable substances and contaminants (e.g. heavy metals, mycotoxins) must be within EU limits.
• Feed additives must be EU-authorised and used within permitted levels.
• Traceability is mandatory, you must be able to trace inputs and trace where products went (one step back, one step forward), supporting recalls if needed.

Importing from outside the EU

If importing pet food into Slovenia from a non-EU country, additional steps apply: the product must come from an approved third-country establishment, meet veterinary import conditions, often enter via a Border Control Post with the right health certificates, and clear customs. EU-origin pet food, by contrast, moves freely within the single market.

Practical compliance checklist

1. Register/seek approval with UVHVVR as a feed business operator.
2. Comply with ABP rules for raw materials and processing.
3. Implement feed hygiene/HACCP procedures.
4. Use only authorised additives and stay within contaminant limits.
5. Label correctly in Slovenian with all mandatory information.
6. Ensure traceability and keep records.
7. Meet import conditions for any non-EU sourcing.

The bottom line

Pet food in Slovenia is regulated as "feed" under harmonised EU law, covering feed hygiene, marketing and labelling, animal by-products, additives, and contaminants. The essentials are: register or gain approval as a feed business operator with the Slovenian authority (UVHVVR), comply with the crucial animal by-products rules, run HACCP-based hygiene, use only authorised additives within safe limits, ensure full traceability, and apply correct Slovenian-language labelling. Imports from outside the EU face extra veterinary and customs steps. Because pet food safety ties into animal and human health, the rules are strict, so classify your product correctly and get expert regulatory advice before placing it on the Slovenian market.