Restrictions on Imports of Food Products into the UK
The British High Commission would like to remind anyone intending to travel to the UK that new EU rules on the personal importation of meat, milk, other products of animal origin and plants came into force on 1 January 2003. Below is a summary of the new rules that apply to travellers entering the UK.
MEAT/MEAT PRODUCTS, MILK/MILK PRODUCTS
1. Personal imports (including personal baggage and packages sent to individuals for personal consumption) are prohibited.
2. Powdered baby milk, infant food, special foods required for medical reasons, provided (a) they do not require refrigeration before opening, (b) they are proprietary brands, (c) the packaging is intact, may be imported. However, these goods must be carried in the personal luggage of a traveller and must be intended for their personal consumption or that of an infant travelling with them. Products sent by post or carrier are not permitted.
3. Small quantities of meat, milk and their products may be brought in from Andorra, Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland. The goods must be carried in the personal luggage of a traveller and must be intended for their personal consumption. Products sent by post or carrier are not permitted.
4. All other meat, meat products, milk or milk products must be surrendered at the Customs Red Point on arrival in the UK.
PRODUCTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN NOT CONTAINING MEAT OR MILK DERIVATIVES
(E.G. FISH, EGGS, EGG PRODUCTS, HONEY).
5. Travellers may import up to 1kg (total weight) of these products per person provided they: either
(a) come from a third country or part of a third country from which Member States authorise the importation of the product or products concerned - a list will shortly be available on the DEFRA Websiteand
(b) are not subject to any prohibition by any European Community legislation in force on the date of import or
(c) have undergone heat treatment in a hermetically sealed container to an FO value of 3.00 or more.