Will we soon be hearing “Bon appétite!” or “Enjoy your meal” a little faster before the British border comes into view on the Eurostar?

There’s a good chance of that happening, as the British government has changed the rules on bringing meat and dairy products into the UK as ‘personal luggage’ in response to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in several countries on the European mainland.

Strengthening controls

Since April, travelers from the EU have been prohibited from bringing meat and dairy products into the UK, including ham and butter sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, and other items for personal consumption.

The measure is intended to prevent the spread of livestock diseases, including outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease on the European mainland. But due to an uptick in foot-and-mouth cases in Europe, the UK is temporarily strengthening controls to protect the livestock industry.

Exceptions for baby food

Eurostar has announced that, in the coming days, if you board a Eurostar train for a stay in London or the United Kingdom, you will be asked to eat your sandwich before customs.

Travelers will no longer be able to bring the following EU products into the UK for personal use: pork, beef, sheep and lamb, goat meat, venison, and any food, including sandwiches, containing these meats or dairy products.

“There are some exceptions for baby food and people with medical needs,” the railway company further clarifies. For example, you may bring up to 2 kg per person of powdered baby milk, baby food, or special foods required for medical reasons. These products do not need to be refrigerated before use and must remain in their original, unopened packaging unless in use.

In any case, these rules apply to all international travelers to the island, regardless of the mode of transport.

And now let’s hope that British customs officials don’t suddenly have to deal with a string of travelers who show their passports at the checkpoint with their mouths full or quickly swallowing their last bites. They might otherwise have a heart attack, so to speak. Consider the famous British ‘culture of etiquette’.