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Personal imports: Rules from May 2009

This is a summary of the new rules covering personal imports of animal products, such as meat, dairy, fishn etc., into the UK from 1 May 2009.

1. Travelling or having animal products sent from a country within the European Union (EU)

You can bring in or send by post personal consignments of any meat, dairy or other animal products (e.g. fish/fishery products, eggs/egg products and honey).

EU countries (excluding the UK) are – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus*, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal (including Madeira), Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden 

*Though the whole of Cyprus is part of the EU, goods from any area of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus are treated as non-EU imports

For these purposes, EU countries also include – Andorra, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland

Although Gibraltar is part of the EU, it is outside the Community customs territory so is therefore treated as a non-EU country.

2. Travelling or having animal products sent from a country outside the EU

You may only bring in or send by post personal consignments of the following products:

From:  Croatia, Faeroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland
Meat and dairy products (other than powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons)

10kg per person:

  • Meat and dairy products (other than powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons).
Powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons

10kg total weight per person:

  • Powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons

10kg per person:

  • Special pet feed required for medical reasons

provided that in both cases:

  • The product does not require refrigeration before consumption
  • The product is in commercially branded packaging
  • The packaging is unbroken unless in current use
Fish/fishery products/bivalves (dead)

From Croatia and Greenland only (there are no restrictions from Faeroe Islands and Iceland)

20kg total weight per person or the weight of one fish, whichever weight is the highest:

  • Fish – Fresh (must be gutted)
  • Fishery products e.g. processed fish (dried, cooked, cured or smoked), lobsters and prawns
  • Bivalves (dead) e.g. mussels and oysters
Other animal products

10kg total weight per person:

  • Bivalves (live) e.g. mussels and oysters
  • Eggs/egg products
  • Frogs’ legs**
  • Honey
  • Reptile and insect meat
  • Snail meat***

**The skin/internal organs must be removed.  If still attached then you cannot bring them to the UK
***Must be shelled, cooked and prepared/preserved meat of edible land snails, including canned snail meat, and snail shells re-filled with snail meat.  Live snails, dead snails still in their shells and water snails are not permitted

Animal products from protected species

For certain protected species, additional restrictions may apply e.g.

125g per person:

  • Caviar of sturgeon species 

If you wish to bring in or send by post more than 125g of caviar you MUST have the correct CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) permits, or all of the product will be seized.  Please contact Defra’s CITES Licensing Team on 0117 372 8774.

From:  All other countries outside the EU, including Cyprus* and Gibraltar

*Though the whole of Cyprus is part of the EU, goods from any area of Cyprus not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus are treated as non-EU imports

Meat and dairy products (other than powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons)

Not permitted:

  • Meat and dairy products (other than powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons)
Powdered infant milk, infant food, special foods and special pet feed required for medical reasons

2kg total weight per person:

  • Powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons

2kg per person:

  • Special pet feed required for medical reasons

provided that in both cases:

  • The product does not require refrigeration before consumption
  • The product is in commercially branded packaging
  • The packaging is unbroken unless in current use
Fish/fishery products/bivalves (dead)

20kg total weight per person or the weight of one fish, whichever weight is the highest:

  • Fish – Fresh (must be gutted)
  • Fishery products e.g. processed fish (dried, cooked, cured or smoked), lobsters and prawns
  • Bivalves (dead) e.g. mussels and oysters
Other animal products

2kg total weight per person:

  • Bivalves (live) e.g. mussels and oysters
  • Eggs/egg products
  • Frogs’ legs**
  • Honey
  • Reptile and insect meat
  • Snail meat***

**The skin/internal organs must be removed.  If still attached then you cannot bring them to the UK
***Must be shelled, cooked and prepared/preserved meat of edible land snails, including canned snail meat, and snail shells re-filled with snail meat.  Live snails, dead snails still in their shells and water snails are not permitted

Animal products from protected species

For certain protected species, additional restrictions may apply e.g.

125g per person:

  • Caviar of sturgeon species 

If you wish to send caviar by post, regardless of the amount, or bring in more than 125g in your personal luggage you MUST have the correct CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) permits, or all of the product will be seized. Please contact the UK CITES Management Authority on 0117 372 8774.

In addition to the above:

Larger quantities of animal products

You may only bring in or send by post larger quantities of animal products if they meet the requirements for commercial consignments, which include:

  • Certification requirements, as laid down in the appropriate official European Community veterinary certificate
  • The presentation of the goods, with the correct documentation, to an authorised EU border inspection post for veterinary control, on arrival in the UK
Exempted animal products

The following products are exempted from the rules:

  • Bread, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery (including sweets) not mixed or filled with meat or dairy products
  • Food supplements packaged for the final consumer
  • Meat extracts and meat concentrates
  • Olives stuffed with fish
  • Pasta and noodles not mixed or filled with meat or dairy products
  • Soup stocks and flavourings packaged for the final consumer not containing pieces of meat
  • Any other food product not containing any fresh or processed meat or dairy and with less than 50% of processed egg or fishery products

 

Page last modified: 22 April 2009

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