A British lorry driver made headlines yesterday after his packed lunched was confiscated by Dutch border officials.
One Dutch TV network released footage of the drivers’ ham sandwich being seized as a reminder that Britain officially separated from the European Union (EU) on 31 December 2020, and therefore must now obey EU rules when it comes to entry requirements.
While the act of confiscating a ham sandwich seems a little bizarre, rules are rules and under EU law non-EU travellers are banned from bringing in meat and dairy products.
The UK government has issued guidance on this matter clarifying that British citizens cannot take meat, milk, or products containing them into EU countries.
However, there are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example, certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, pet food or food required for medical reasons. More information on the rules about taking food and drink into the EU can be found here on the European Commission website.
As always, anyone travelling with a medical condition should ensure that their travel insurer is aware and any condition is fully declared. Additionally, anyone travelling with medication should also make sure that their prescription is legal in their holiday destination to avoid that too being impounded. For more guidance on this matter, check out our advice on travelling with medication.
So, while it seems that British tourists are still able to take their teabags with them on holiday, we would recommend that Brits double-check any entry requirements or restrictions for the country they plan to visit to ensure they do not break any rules.
