Stricter Border Controls Introduced to Prevent Spread of Foot and Mouth Disease

As you are aware there have been outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the following countries:

• Germany (January 2025)
• Hungary (March 2025)
• Slovakia (March 2025)

The Government has today (11/4) extended measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) following a rising number of cases across Europe. Travelers will no longer be able to bring cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK’s food security.  

Those found with these items will need to either surrender them at the border or will have them seized and destroyed. In serious cases, those found with these items run the risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000 in England.

FMD poses no risk to human or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas. Livestock keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their biosecurity.    

FMD causes significant economic losses due to production shortfalls in the affected animals, as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and dairy.    

The amended rules for food product personal imports for Great Britain come into force Saturday 12th April.

For more information, please read the updated guidance here and the press notice here.

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