Post Brexit EU food import restrictions
I am hoping at some point this year to take our MH on a tour of the WW1 cemeteries. We had to cancel last year for obvious reasons.
I have a question on the restrictions placed on food import into France, namely no meat or dairy products. I am not trying to be clever - honestly and I do understand why there have to be restrictions but as a lot of our food still currently comes in from the EU, such as French cheese, Danish bacon and German sausages. Are we so unclean that once imported into the UK they don't want their own produce back?
Actually I can live with buying most food in France but their bacon is rubbish, I need my danepak!
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It’s just the regulations on those type of imports from a non EU country. It wouldn’t be practical for the border police to check on its origin, especially if it isn’t in its original packaging. Some reasonably acceptable bacon is now available in many French supermarkets, both smoked and standard. Although they do cut it rather thin. If you just want it to go with eggs, rather than a butty, lardons are a reasonable alternative to streaky. In this country though I only buy British bacon, much prefer to support our farmers rather than the Danes.😉
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Your right, Danish Pork Products are good but there are some cracking traditionally cured bacon products in England. As far as the rules for taking food products into the EU I'm afraid that is part of what some sadly bought into. Never mind, chlorine washed chicken and 'hormonal' meat may be appearing in our supermarkets soon!😱
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Just an hour or so ago we were discussing this, bacon, as its the one food item that my wife likes to take for our holiday fried breakfast treat.
Its not something we have at home, but when we did take it away it would not be Danepak, lots of which was processed in Cornwall, but British dry cured thick cut back bacon.
We have tried bacon abroad but as said tends to be very thin and nowhere near as nice as ours so will stick with my croissants and jam.
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I think the problem the OP has with her Danish bacon is similar to the problem being experienced by M&S and their Percy Pig sweets getting them into NI. Apparently they are made in Germany but the process of confirming place of origin doesn't stretch back far enough for the new rules so they are classed as an export from the UK.
David
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Maybe we have to create a sort of Freeport, where the goods destined for N.I. are kept, agreed with the EU as being hermetically sealed for the use of these goods only, paperwork processed and then transported by ship around the coast to them, bypassing the land mass of GB.
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I can cope with missing my favourite dry cured bacon, but what I'm not happy about is the inconvenience caused for my first 24hrs of being on French soil.
When I land at 7:45pm and get to a site late I want to put something prepared into the Remoska whilst I unload. Likewise I want a cup of tea and an easy breakfast, but this is also not possible.
If it was safe to take these food products onto foreign soil 2 weeks ago then why is it not so now. The situation should at best be reversed or at worse reciprocated.
Colin
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Hi Colin, In the situation you describe I myself would be looking at a different crossing at a different time or even a different route - giving me time to pop into a shop for supplies or to go for a meal. Flexibility always wins.
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A late arrival for us is unusual, we will have travelled from Merseyside down to Devon to visit our son and do the Plymouth-Roscoff route for the first time. We normally drive down overnight to get a 3 am Dover-Calais crossing then typically travel to to the Loire arriving lunchtime with the chance to shop locally after setting up.
Colin
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With the current situation making travel very difficult I'm not to worried for the present. What does bother me the most is that when we are able to go is the dog's food. Will I be able to take his dried food in an unopened sealed bag?
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This might help as a starting point:-
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/meat-dairy-animal/index_en.htm
Colin
Link Edit
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Thanks for that Colin. very useful.
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Colin, Thank you for that explanation. As a first timer on the Plymouth - Roscoff route your 7.45 pm. arrival in France looks as though you will be on a Friday sailing on board "Pont Aven", the Brittany Ferries flagship.
You can eat very well on that ship to save cooking when you land - there is a self service cafeteria on board with a reasonable choice, but I suggest you go the waiter service Le Flora restaurant which is very comfortable and smart. Ask at the desk if you need a reservation.
On arrival in Roscoff I would go with a booking for Camping Trologot on the seafront a couple of miles away at St Pol de Leon - and I would advise a second night there to allow shopping at Super U next day, and time to explore Roscoff itself, or even a day visit with a picnic to Batz island.
I hope you first visit there goes well. It's a lovely area.
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Well done, boat and day both correct. Thanks for the meal advice on the boat. We have a night booked at Trologot before heading down to Carnac for a few nights and then south to Loire.
Colin
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Well done too - good choices.
That campsite will welcome you if they know you are coming - even if the boat is late. Get good directions, some people find it tricky. Ask Madame for baguette, croissants and milk for your morning petit dejeuner - they will be available.
When they see your Eriba they will think it's us.
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Hi, Just wanted to second eurors comments.
For many years we have travelled wherever possible on the Pont Aven, usually both ways, and the main reason is that it is a fantastic way to start , or end, your holiday with the food in the La Flora being a real treat.Our holiday always ends at Trologot, usually for a couple of nights, and I can thoroughly recommend a meal at the Au Quai des Isles restaurant, which you will pass on your way into Trologot-this is where and how we spent our last night on foreign soil in June 2019.
Trologot changed hands a few years ago and has a small bar, the previous one was very small, and I think they do snacks/food so that may be of use when you arrive if you are not still full from your meal onboard.
Fingers crossed we will be doing the same crossing, but overnight, but hope that you have a great holiday.
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One wonders how they are going to have sufficient personnel to monitor it properly anyway. Searching every cubbyhole in a car/caravan/motorhome would be quite time-consuming. Maybe they will pull over the odd random outfit and adopt Voltaire's observation "But in this country it is considered a good thing to kill an admiral from time to time , pour encourager les autres"
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As from Monday 18th January, we are required to have PCR Covid within 72 hours of going to France.and then 7 days isolation. How are we expected to arrive without meat and dairy products,and isolate, which means we cannot go to the supermarket or restaurants for a meal. Does this mean we need to isolate where we land from ferry or train?
If you are on a 2 week holiday, then surely a whole week would be gone in isolation.
This is all going to put so many people off, which is such a shame for those of us who love the country, and the sites will suffer from fewer Bookings.
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You're mixing two issues there. The new long term import rules following Brexit and the current rules regarding the pandemic.
Perhaps it's not the best idea to go while the covid rules are in place?
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Polly, with a UK national lockdown in place and instructions to stay at home you are not going to France on 18thJanuary.
I will talk about your holiday in a few months time if I can help in any way.
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I'm not advocating that you should travel. However, if you do I think that you will find that the French requirement to isolate is not enforced by law which would enable you to shop when you arrive, in any event I don't think they expect you to starve for seven days. That is how I have read it but my French is rather rusty. The 2000 hrs curfew is however enforced and should be respected.
I am aware of a number of Brit MH'ers that have used Camping-Car Parks whilst waiting out their time.
Incidentally some say they have taken Fray Bentos pies to get around the import regulations as it is said that there has never been one found to contain any meat
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Don't forget that the import restrictions work both ways. Food bought on the Continent while on holiday there won't be able to be brought into the UK either that easily. In both cases one would need a veterinary certificate. Obviously, for the small amounts that one is likely to have in the caravan it's not going to be worth the effort to apply for such a certificate.
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Plan B could be to have croissants and black coffe for breakfast. Very French, very nice.
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No croissants allowed due to butter content.
Colin
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Lutz
This is what the UK Government say about bringing food and plants back from EU countries https://www.gov.uk/guidance/personal-food-plant-and-animal-product-imports#what-you-can-bring-from-eu-countries Rather surprisingly I feel that for once the UK Government has made a pragmatic decision on such things, just a shame the EU did not do the same. I suspect there is little possibility of contamination from the small amounts of food people would take to the EU for their onward journey but it seems the EU have imposed a complete ban on such provisions. It is possible of course that the UK Government were remiss in not making a mutual agreement with the EU in their rush to leave?
David
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