Simon Calder: Why Britons bringing cheese and meat back from Europe could be landed with £5,000 fine

British tourists banned from bringing meat and cheese back from Europe - Simon Calder explains all

Transcript

00:00One of the great joys of travelling abroad is, of course, going along to the local market,

00:07maybe picking up some lovely cheese and ham for your journey home.

00:12And, of course, the UK has not previously had a ban on dairy and meat products

00:20from the European Union since Brexit, and now we do have one.

00:26What's happened is that because of concern about foot and mouth disease spreading in the UK,

00:33the government has basically just said anybody bringing back food and dairy products for personal use

00:41may not do so on pain of a fine of up to £5,000.

00:47The aim, of course, is to prevent another tragedy, such as the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001.

00:56Which saw so many animals slaughtered.

01:00Now, it's always been the case since Brexit that you have not been able to take dairy or meat products to the European Union.

01:10That was part of what we negotiated.

01:13And, therefore, even if you've got a ham sandwich and you arrive in France by ferry or by air,

01:20you are breaking the law.

01:23Of course, this rule, I hope, will not be in place for too long

01:28and we will be able soon to bring back lovely food as well as wine and beer.