In the wake of the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) on a Brandenburg farm, the British government has tightened the rules for entry into the United Kingdom. Passengers will no longer be allowed to bring in unpacked meat, meat products, milk, and dairy products, certain composite products, and animal by-products from pigs and ruminants, the government announced. Even if these products are commercially packaged, they will no longer be permitted from Germany to the UK. Security containers will be made available at ports and airports for these products to be placed in.
Earlier, the British government had decided to ban the commercial import of cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, and their products, such as meat and dairy products, from Germany. Health certificates will no longer be issued for ASF-susceptible animals from Germany.
The restrictions aim to prevent a potential outbreak, the government explained. “We will do everything necessary to protect the farmers of our country from the dangers of African Swine Fever” said Agriculture Minister Daniel Zeichner (Labour). “We will not hesitate to add more countries to the list if the disease spreads. We will continue to monitor the situation closely in close cooperation with the German authorities.