Travellers banned from bringing meat and cheese into UK due to "significant risk" of foot and mouth disease

It is now illegal for people entering the country from the EU to bring any meat or dairy products, even for personal use, as the government aims to limit any chance of foot and mouth disease (FMD) hitting UK shores.

Amid a rising number of FMD cases on the continent, the government introduced new rules on what passengers can bring into the country, which went into force on April 12.

It means people cannot bring cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use.

A government spokesperson said the move was "to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK’s food security".

The ban includes items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk – regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.

FMD poses no risk to humans and there are currently no cases in the UK, however, it is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals, such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas.

The disease can hit the farming and tourism industries hard, as it did in 2001, when millions of cattle and sheep were slaughtered amid 2,000 cases.

The new, EU-wide restrictions follow a previous ban on the items from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria following FMD outbreaks in those countries. They do not apply to personal imports arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man.

Farming Minister, Daniel Zeichner, said: "This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth. That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain’s food security."

UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for international and trade affairs, Dr Jorge Martin-Almagro, added: "Following the detection of foot and mouth disease in EU countries resulting in a rising risk of introduction into Great Britain, we have extended restrictions on the personal imports of food products that pose a risk in FMD transmission.

"Robust contingency plans are already in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and Britain’s food security. This biosecurity measure combined with all others we have implemented are critical to limit the risk of FMD incursion.

"I would urge livestock keepers to continue exercising the upmost vigilance for signs of disease, ensure scrupulous biosecurity is maintained and to report any suspicion of disease immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency."