If you are travelling to the UK from Italy this Christmas you is perhaps pondering of bringing presents of Italy’s famously wonderful cheese, salumi, prosciutto or different delicacies – however a change in British import guidelines continues to be in impact.
Can you deliver Italian meat or cheese into the UK this Christmas?
High-end Italian produce corresponding to Parmigiano Reggiano, artisan salumi or handmade goodies make wonderful Christmas presents in your (non-vegan) associates and family members.
However, a change within the UK’s meals hygiene guidelines signifies that travelling with this kind of reward could also be extra difficult this 12 months.
In April this 12 months, the UK banned import for private use of meat and cheese from any EU or EEA nation, in response to outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.
The ban covers something made out of the meat of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs – in order that would come with most Italian salumi, prosciutto and sausages.
Also banned are all dairy merchandise – together with milk and cheese, but additionally something that makes use of milk, corresponding to chocolate or panettone.
However, as a result of Foot and Mouth Disease solely impacts cloven-footed animals, poultry merchandise are usually not coated by the ban.
Fish or different animal merchandise corresponding to eggs or honey are additionally allowed.
What are the penalties?
Exactly how strictly that is policed on the UK border is determined by how you’re travelling – airways are usually stricter about what’s allowed, particularly in the case of hand baggage. Airlines even have their very own guidelines about what’s allowed in hand baggage.
Although the foundations do apply to individuals travelling from continental Europe by automobile, both through the ferry or Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, in follow, there appears to be little enforcement on the ports.
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If you’re stopped with illicit prosciutto or a forbidden wedge of cheese, your objects could be confiscated, however there isn’t a nice or different penalty.
What about wine?
Since Brexit, there have been stricter limits on the quantity of alcohol that may be introduced into the UK from Italy.
Having mentioned that, the boundaries stay pretty beneficiant, and would simply cowl presents for household and associates.
The limits are:
- 42 litres of beer
- 18 litres (24 customary bottles) of nonetheless wine
- 4 litres of spirits OR 9 litres (12 bottles) of glowing wine, fortified wine or any alcoholic beverage lower than 22% ABV
The tobacco limits are:
- 200 cigarettes OR
- 100 cigarillos OR
- 50 cigars OR
- 250g tobacco OR
- 200 sticks of tobacco for heating
- or any proportional mixture of the above
