Meat and milk import rules tightened

Date: 09/01/03

By Karen Carstens

TOURISTS thinking of bringing some beef jerky from the Americas or kangaroo steaks from the land down under back home in their luggage will now have to think twice.

Tighter rules on personal imports of meat and milk products entered into force on 1 January. They stipulate that travellers entering the EU from most third countries will no longer be allowed to bring in personal imports of such products on their person or in their luggage, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation.

"With the foot-and-mouth disease crisis fresh in our minds, the significance of this measure is clear," said David Byrne, the health and consumer protection commissioner. "Even small quantities of infected products for personal use may spark an outbreak of animal disease," he added. "It is therefore important to make travellers aware of the risks and enlist their help in our efforts to stop infectious diseases from entering the EU."

The legislation suspends existing exceptions to import conditions and border controls that are granted for meat, milk and derived products brought by travellers for private consumption or sent to private persons.

Travellers will be allowed to bring in powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons, provided that the product does not require refrigeration before consumption, is a packaged brand product and the packaging of the product is unbroken.

However, the new rules do not apply to products carried by travellers arriving from Greenland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the EU candidate countries, with the exception of Turkey.

Tighter rules on personal imports of meat and milk products entered into force on 1 January 2003. They stipulate that travellers entering the EU from most third countries will no longer be allowed to bring in personal imports of such products on their person or in their luggage, unless accompanied by official veterinary documentation.