ADVERTISEMENTThe UK has put a temporary ban on travellers from Europe (including returning British citizens) bringing meat and dairy products into the country.
The restrictions came in on 12 April in response to the uptick in cases of foot-and-mouth disease on the continent.
Visitors in possession of banned items will have to surrender them at the border or have them seized and destroyed.
UK bans EU travellers from bringing meat and dairy into the country
Travellers arriving from an EU or EFTA country (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) currently cannot bring meat from cattle, sheep, pigs or goats, or dairy produce into the UK for personal consumption.
The ban includes sandwiches, cheeses, cured meats and raw meats, according to the new ruling from the British government.
Even products which are packed or packaged, or have been purchased at duty free are off limits.
Travellers found in possession of these items risk fines of up to £5,000 (€5,845) in the most serious cases.
The restrictions only apply to visitors arriving in Great Britain - but not in Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man.
Some products are exempt from the ban. Travellers can bring in a limited amount of infant formula milk, medical foods, and some items such as chocolate, confectionery, bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta.
Why has the UK banned visitors from bringing in meat?
The UK currently remains free of foot-and-mouth disease, so the measure hopes to prevent the spread from European countries.
The British government has also banned imports of cattle, sheep, other ruminants, pig meat and dairy products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.
Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious and can be fatal to cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, sheep and pigs.
The disease does not pose a health risk to humans, and meat and milk from infected livestock are considered safe to consume.
“This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot-and-mouth,” the UK’s farming minister Daniel Zeichner said.
“That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain’s food security.”