Overview
- The UK has reiterated its ban on travellers bringing meat and dairy products from EU and EEA countries, in place since April last year to protect livestock from foot and mouth disease.
- Prohibited items include sandwiches, cheese, cured and raw meats, and milk, with travellers required to surrender them at the border or face seizure and disposal.
- In serious cases, offenders can face fines of up to £5,000 in England, according to government guidance on enforcement.
- Following confirmation of foot and mouth disease in Cyprus, the government issued a fresh alert and applied additional restrictions on commercial imports from that country.
- DEFRA minister Dame Angela Eagle said recent outreach has driven awareness above 90%, while MP Ben Goldsborough has asked whether funded campaigns at airports and ports should be considered.