Taking food to France

You will get a definite answer from the official Europe Direct Contact Centre. There is a contact form on their website.

Be specific when you write to them that you are only asking about taking foods which will be for personal consumption.

The official line is as you stated however we have crossed twice now to France in the last 10 months. Once by the tunnel and once from Portsmouth. Neither times have we or anyone else we saw been stopped and checked. Every UK vehicle now has to stop and get their passport stamped so customs are much busier doing that. We did however see a commercial van get stopped and checked.

One this journey I brought over items that I usually do with the attitude that I if we get checked so be it if not then bonus we have some meals to start with. 

There was a recent thread titled "Taking food supplies to Spain" that went into this greater detail and one of the CT members kindly ascertained a "definitive" answer.

I intended to copy the page in for you but this useless website just keeps giving me a "Server Error".

Take a look on page 6 of this Overseas Sites and Touring section and see if you can access it.

Just as matter of interest we landed at Rotterdam 2 weeks ago and nobody stopped us or asked us about food. We had supplies of cheese and meat, but for personal consumption.

Sorry I couldn't access that page for you but this website has been a mess for quite some time. It's supposed to be a means for fellow members to help or advise other members but sometimes it's as much use as a Chocolate Fireguard.

Thanks for your replies. I tried to access the thread on Taking Food Supplies to Spain but got the same Server Error message, annoyingly. I’ve filled in the form on the Europe Direct ContactCentre, though, so I’ll await their reply.

On 6th April I posed the specific question about taking meat/dairy into Europe  to the relevant European office, as a clause had been identified that suggested if for personal consumption all was fine.

I received the following reply that would seem to support this assumption, but if you really pick apart the answer the assumption may be flawed.

On 6th June we will be taking with us what some may consider to be banned goods, but according to my interpretation of the reply, that I will be carrying a copy of, I should be fine.

I am taking the risk, as others have found checks are limited and the gains of convenience in your initial days abroad are greater than the chances of loosing your foodstuffs.

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<EuropeDirectContactCentre@edcc.ec.europa.eu>

Dear Mr Motteram,

Thank you for contacting the Europe Direct Contact Centre.

Following your enquiry, we wish to inform you that if you are travelling in the European Union (EU) you can carry meat or dairy products with you as long as they are for your own personal consumption.  This also applies to plants or plant products, such as cut flowers, fruit or vegetables as long as they have been grown in an EU country and are free from pests or disease.

In this context, EU includes the 27 EU countries, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland.

These rules also apply when you carry meat, dairy or plant products in your luggage, or if you order these items online or have them sent by mail.

You will find further general information in this regard at the following pages:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/meat-dairy-animal/index_en.htm
https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/animals-products-trade-imports/personal-imports_en

If you are still unsure about the possibility to bring your product(s), we invite you to directly contact the national customs authorities in the country of destination:

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs-4/union-customs-code/national-customs-administrations_en

We hope you find this information useful. Please contact us again if you have other questions about the European Union, its activities or institutions.

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That states "travelling in the EU" not "travelling to the EU". I still would refer people to the legislation and in particular Annex 1 Part 2 which clearly states which products are NOT allowed in even as hand luggage. Dairy products are the second item on the list.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02019R2122-20211220

Having said that it does seem clear that checks are not being made. But they could be at any time.

+1 on Iansody response. I posted on a similar thread a few days ago the link to the EU regs, which are quite clear - no meat or dairy products from UK. Pasta would be ok, as it is derived from Durum wheat, not plants meat or dairy.

This link is much easier to read than the one posted above:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/meat-dairy-animal/index_en.htm

As for checks, you takes your chance!!!!!

Paul

I read this as travelling between EU member states, plus the extras, carrying goods produced in an EU member state, plus the extras. I don't believe it covers you for taking goods produced in the UK into the EU.

Quote from the Your Europe site which is pretty clear. I agree with KeithL above.

If you travel to the EU from a non-EU country, you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you. You can however bring a limited quantity of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, egg products and honey. Restricted quantities of fish or fish products are also allowed.

Yes and all the info for UK travellers to the EU is on the gov.uk web site.