UK response
From Saturday 12 April, travellers will no longer be able to bring cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK鈥檚 food security.听听听听
This includes bringing items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into Great Britain 鈥� regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.
Cross-government biosecurity plan 鈥榠mperative鈥�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淎 breakdown in biosecurity is one of the most serious risks we face as a nation, and the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in parts of Europe is very worrying.
鈥淭he government was quick to ban personal imports of related animal products from affected countries and, with the increase in cases, we鈥檙e glad to see the government taking action to extend this ban to all EU ruminant and porcine meat and dairy products.
鈥淲hile the FMD source remains unidentified in parts of Europe, stricter border controls are essential. The government must now ensure passengers are aware of the new rules and that those fighting illegal meat imports, including the Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice.
鈥淚n an ever more uncertain world, it鈥檚 imperative we have a comprehensive cross-government biosecurity plan with the necessary investment behind it, and which would place these restrictions on a permanent legislative footing.鈥�
These measures are in addition to the ban on commercial imports to GB of cattle, pigs and sheep, goats and other non-domestic ruminants and porcines such as deer and their untreated products, such as fresh meat and dairy from Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and parts of Germany.
No cases have been confirmed in Austria 鈥� the ban has been implemented due to its proximity to the latest case in Hungary.
GB health certificates are no longer being issued for animals susceptible to FMD including all live animals and fresh meat and animal products.
While horses and companion animals are not susceptible to FMD, hay feed or straw bedding, if sourced from an infected area, could act as a fomite and therefore are also prevented from entering GB.
The government is taking action to prevent consignments entering Great Britain that were already in process.听
Further information is available at:
Commodity restrictions
Restrictions are in place on the import of the following commodities from the entire territories of Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and parts of Germany:
- live (including non-domestic) ruminant and porcine animals, including wild game, and their germplasm
- fresh meat from ruminant and porcine animals (including chilled and frozen)
- meat products from ruminant and porcine animals that have not been subject to specific treatment D1, D, C or B (including wild game)
- milk, colostrum and their products, unless subjected to treatment as defined in Article 4 of Regulation 2010/605
- certain animal by-products
- hay and straw
For more information on EU and EFTA states approved to export animals and animal products to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), visit:
Automatic regionalisation
Throughout the EU there is a policy of automatic regionalisation, whereby animals and POAO (Products Of Animal Origin) from Germany can move to other Member States providing they do not originate from the 10km zone.
As of 24 March, for FMD in Germany at the containment zone level, which covers a 6km radius around the outbreak. Consequently, the export of affected commodities can resume from areas outside this zone, provided all other import requirements are satisfied.
This decision follows rigorous technical assessment of the measures applied in Germany and the current situation. The government says that, should the situation change, it will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity.
Personal imports of packaged and unpackaged meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, certain composite products and animal by-products of pigs and ruminants will remain in place at a country level.
Personal import restrictions
Restrictions on personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals (primarily ruminants and porcines) from the EU in response to the FMD outbreak reflect the recent tightening of ASF controls:
- All unpackaged ruminant and porcine commodities will be restricted from the entire territory of the EU.
- All commercially packaged ruminant and porcine commodities from the EU are limited to 2kg per traveller, and must bear an identification or health mark (or commercial labelling if it is an animal by-product) to evidence it is commercially produced.
- From Saturday 12 April, travellers will no longer be able to bring cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK鈥檚 food security.听
- Susceptible animal commodities include bovine, caprine, ovine, cervid, porcine and camelid products.
- Certain exemptions apply for infant milk, medical foods and certain composite products (eg, chocolate and biscuits).
- Live animals, germplasm and untreated wool, hair, skins and hides are not permitted for personal import under separate rules.
The new restrictions shine a greater spotlight on any illegal meat imports. The government must ensure that those fighting against illegal meat imports, including our Port Health Authorities and UK Border Force, have the resources they need to stamp out this practice and that the consequences of undertaking such illegal activity be suitably severe so as to act as a disincentive. Read: NFU calls for stronger deterrents for illegal personal imports
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