Taking fresh food into France

[Vennwood]

I'm sure this is an old topic but wondered if anyone has any updates. When we travelled to France last October we were very careful not to take any fresh meat or dairy products following the new BREXIT rules. When we passed through customs we were waved through and reflected that we might have either been lucky (surely they wouldn't check every camper) and not been selected OR the French really weren;t interested in enforcing silly rules and impounding a little bit of meat from a Brit camper. What experiences have recent travellers had?

[GandJP]

We also went last October and following all the rules we took nothing and like you we were not searched and drove straight into France. We also were careful not to exceed our wine allowance on our return and again nobody was interested.

 

 

[BruceM]

We travelled to France and back in September (no checks) and again January (we’re in France now), likewise no checks. I suspect that when volumes pick up again there may be the odd spot check to make a point but otherwise it all seems very relaxed. If you are stopped then expect quite rightly to lose the lot but then you’re unlikely to be travelling with much contraband so probably not a big issue. Personally, I suspect first time offenders are likely to be warned and face confiscation rather than fines.

[Den]

We traveled out to Spain via Bilbao, they didn’t stop us but several Motorhomes were pulled over, I think it was those carrying dogs.

We took none of the banned foods, but we did take milk.

I’m a milkaholic.

We found no problem picking up provisions very quickly after leaving the ship.

[Vennwood]

Thanks for all your comments

 

I guess for now covid fears may be deterring customs from checking vans and maybe when covid retreats (if that should ever happen) more frequent checks will become the norm.

 

On a similar note - has anyone heard the rumour that the French may be ditching their PCR/LFT test 24 hours prior to arrival in France? By the end of this month arrivals into UK will not have to test at all.

[Derek Uzzell]

Vennwood - 2022-02-10 10:47 PM

 

..On a similar note - has anyone heard the rumour that the French may be ditching their PCR/LFT test 24 hours prior to arrival in France?...

 

This has been widely reported (example here)

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/france-ending-covid-tests-vaccinated-travellers-rules-could/

[MiriamMurphy]

What and how do you cook outdoors? Because I've been a few times and didn't know what to cook other than roast meat.

[Caddies104]

We cook with an electric pan, see photo I hope

 

(Photo added as .jpg - Keithl)

[ColinM50]

Given up on messy disposable BBQ's and now use a tepenyaki like this

 

Link to grill

 

but of course you have to be on electric hook up. Dead cheap to buy and heats up quickly and easy to clean

 

(Link shortened to correct page width error - Keithl)

[ColinM50]

Oh and in answer to the original question about taking food to France, we went Dover Calais earlier in July and no questions or inspection, so our fridge and cupboards were loaded as normal

[MagHal]

Some friends went to Serbia via tunnel 6 weeks ago and now returned. They took whatever food they wanted in the fridge and there were no checks either way.

[Albertslad]

Well, to “post colonial and post European Union Brits it apparently seems silly, and making that last pint or two of milk last as long as possible makes sense.

But it’s illegal, all the time, not just if you get caught.

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

Is it a game?

 

Bon voyage.

[Jands]

Was good last time and didn't take anything banned and didn't get inspected.

We thought we could get everything we needed in the shops in France.

The one thing that we couldn't get was vegetarian cheese.

Tried vegan and that was horrid.

This time we are going to carry vegetarian cheese and a carton of milk for the crossings breakfast.

If we get stopped will say they are for our own consumption and if they get taken so be it.

Will stop on the first day to get everything else.

We are not trying to break the rules just to carry something unobtainable in France.

 

[MiriamMurphy]

MiriamMurphy - 2022-07-22 9:33 PM

 

You can roast vegetables and meat in many different ways. A skillet is ideal. It initially roasts at a low temperature, preserving fresh vegetables' taste. For such purposes, https://www.amazon.com/pie-iron-for-campfire-cooking/dp/B088H42W2L is fine. The only thing - the process will be more time-consuming because it is cooking in nature. Plus, you must keep an eye on the food and turn it every 20 minutes so it doesn't dry out into powder. .

 

It's cool!

[rayc]

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

 

Well, to “post colonial and post European Union Brits it apparently seems silly, and making that last pint or two of milk last as long as possible makes sense.

But it’s illegal, all the time, not just if you get caught.

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

Is it a game?

 

Bon voyage.

 

I have travelled via the tunnel twice since Easter and there were no signs or warnings of any type and certainly no checks.

[Brian Kirby]

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

 

Well, to “post colonial and post European Union Brits it apparently seems silly, and making that last pint or two of milk last as long as possible makes sense.

But it’s illegal, all the time, not just if you get caught.

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

Is it a game?

 

Bon voyage.

But is it illegal? I'd be interested to know where you gained that impression.

 

This is a bit conjectural, but I think the EU has fairly recently (post Brexit) clarified the way border controls should be interpreted in the case of people and goods arriving by ferry or the tunnel. The regulations were intended primarily to control commercial imports of plants and plant materials, plus animals and animal products. However, trying to conduct the kinds of controls envisaged in those regulations at sea ports and the chunnel terminal in the case of passenger coaches, motorhomes, caravanners - and any others entering the EU with food for their onward journeys - could only result in crippling delays that would. eventually, feed back into delays for commercial operators.

 

So, to avoid making a mountain out of the proverbial molehill, they seem to have relaxed the requirement for biological and phyto security inspections where the quantities of foodstuffs involved are small and are intended for consumption by those transporting them and not for entry commercially into the European single market.

 

I have found this - make of it what you will, I'm not an international lawyer!

 

COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2019/2122

of 10 October 2019

supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards certain categories of animals and goods exempted from official controls at border control posts, specific controls on passengers’ personal luggage and on small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.

 

Note that it says "exempted from official controls at borders". It continues:

 

Whereas:

 

(1) Article 48 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 empowers the Commission to adopt rules exempting certain categories of animals and goods from official controls at border control posts, when such an exemption is justified. Point (d)(ii) of Article 53(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 empowers the Commission to adopt rules concerning specific official control tasks performed by customs authorities or other public authorities, insofar as those tasks are not already falling under the responsibility of those authorities, on passengers’ personal luggage.

 

(2) These rules are substantially linked and many are intended to be applied in tandem. In the interest of simplicity and transparency, as well as to facilitate their application and avoid a multiplication of rules, they should therefore be laid down in a single act rather than in a number of separate acts with many cross-references and the risk of duplication. These rules often serve common purposes and refer to complementary activities of operators and competent authorities. Therefore, it is appropriate to group together these rules in a single Delegated Regulation.

 

(3) Where rules establishing exemptions from official controls at border control posts are adopted, conditions, such as adequate control arrangements, should be established to ensure that no unacceptable risks to public, animal and plant health are incurred where such animals and goods enter the Union (1)OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1. ENOfficial Journal of the European Union 12.12.2019 L 321/45

 

(4) ( my underlining) Exemptions from official controls at border control posts for products which form part of travellers’ personal luggage, for products for consumption by the crew and passengers on board means of transport operating internationally, and for products sent as small consignments to private persons already exist under Council Directive 97/78/EC (2). For the sake of legal clarity and in order to ensure a consistent application of those exemptions given that Directive 97/78/EC is repealed with effect from 14 December 2019, it is appropriate to lay down provisions on such exemptions in this Regulation. Those exemptions concern certain categories of animals and goods which, although they enter the Union, are not to be placed on the market. (5) In order to ensure consistency of Union legislation, Member States should continue to carry out appropriate risk- based controls with a view to preventing the introduction into the Union of certain invasive alien species, as required by Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3).

............................................

(8) Pursuant to Article 48(d) and (e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, products which form part of passenger’s personal luggage and are intended for their personal consumption or use and small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market should be exempted from official controls at border control posts. Concerning small consignments of goods sent to natural persons which are not intended to be placed on the market, Member States should carry-out risk-based controls. The possible risk of introducing pathogenic agents or diseases into the Union through the introduction of products of animal origin should be considered in measures regulating the introduction of such consignments or products.

 

I also found this:

 

REGULATION (EU) 2017/625 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 15 March 2017

on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1)

Amended by:

?M1

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/478 of 14 January 2019 L 82 4 25.3.2019

?M2

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2127 of 10 October 2019 L 321 111 12.12.2019

?M3

Regulation (EU) 2021/1756 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 October 2021 L 357 27 8.10.2021

Corrected by:

?C1

Corrigendum, OJ L 137, 24.5.2017, p. 40 (2017/625) 02017R0625 — EN — 28.01.2022 — 003.001 — 1

 

Which goes on to say (my underlining as above):

 

"Article 48

 

Animals and goods exempted from official controls at border control posts

 

The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 144 to supplement this Regulation concerning rules establishing the cases where, and the conditions under which, the following categories of animals and goods are exempted from Article 47, and when such exemption is justified:

 

(a) goods sent as trade samples or as display items for exhibitions, which are not intended to be placed on the market;

 

(b) animals and goods intended for scientific purposes;

 

© goods on board means of transport operating internationally which are not unloaded and are intended for consumption by the crew and passengers;

 

(d) goods which form part of passengers personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption or use;

 

Taken together, (and there are doubtless further references I haven't found :-)) I think the above extracts explain why searches for animal and plant derived materials on motorhomes etc. are not being conducted at border control posts. If taken in "luggage", and for "personal consumption" - so not in commercial quantities - they are exempt from controls.

 

Having said that, it seems it would be wise not to "push the envelope" and try to transport large quantities of such goods, as the reserved right to stop and search is clearly there if the authorities have reasonable grounds for suspicion.

[laimeduck]

Brian Kirby - 2022-07-29 4:48 PM

 

Taken together, (and there are doubtless further references I haven't found :-)) I think the above extracts explain why searches for animal and plant derived materials on motorhomes etc. are not being conducted at border control posts. If taken in "luggage", and for "personal consumption" - so not in commercial quantities - they are exempt from controls.

 

Having said that, it seems it would be wise not to "push the envelope" and try to transport large quantities of such goods, as the reserved right to stop and search is clearly there if the authorities have reasonable grounds for suspicion.

 

The fact that there are no facilities or staff at the tunnel at Folkestone at the French checkpoint would tend to confirm your deductions here Brian.

I am sure that if that nice M. Macron could find a way of delaying us Brits going on holiday even more than he does now by invoking obscure rules, he would jump on it with alacrity!

Jeremy

 

[Albertslad]

Brian Kirby - 2022-07-29 5:48 PM

 

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

 

Well, to “post colonial and post European Union Brits it apparently seems silly, and making that last pint or two of milk last as long as possible makes sense.

But it’s illegal, all the time, not just if you get caught.

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

Is it a game?

 

Bon voyage.

But is it illegal? I'd be interested to know where you gained that impression.

 

 

I’m grateful for your research Brian, and I’ll print the information you have provided, just in case I have the opportunity to have a discussion with a French Border official.

 

My impression was gained on this forum, and I’ll admit I can be a little “lazy” when deciding just what I need to concentrate on and what I can gloss over when making my preparations for a trip.

 

In the past we have taken non-perishable foodstuffs, and a small quantity of milk( for the tea, you understand. Not keen on the French milk options available in supermarkets)

 

I imagine that we’ll do a shop as soon as we are able, and make food shopping a daily part of our holiday.

 

If I thought that M Macron might be tempted to make me a pawn in his dealings with the UK government I think I might find somewhere else to spend my time and not inconsiderable €.

 

Got to go now, it’s stopped raining and I’ve got a few jobs to do before we set off for a short trip to York

 

Best regards to you all

A

 

[John52]

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

 

Because I don't want to sit in a Brexit Border queue with no food

[Albertslad]

John52 - 2022-07-30 2:33 PM

 

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

 

Because I don't want to sit in a Brexit Border queue with no food

 

Whatever a “Brexit Border” is; It’s beginning to sound like one of them “hustings” things

[Brian Kirby]

Albertslad - 2022-07-30 11:07 AM

 

Brian Kirby - 2022-07-29 5:48 PM .............................

But is it illegal? I'd be interested to know where you gained that impression.

 

I’m grateful for your research Brian, and I’ll print the information you have provided, just in case I have the opportunity to have a discussion with a French Border official.

 

My impression was gained on this forum, and I’ll admit I can be a little “lazy” when deciding just what I need to concentrate on and what I can gloss over when making my preparations for a trip........................................

I was only intrigued, Alan, because in early 2020, just after we'd actually left the EU, the only source of authoritative information seemed to be the EU itself, and all I had been able to find set out at great length which categories of foodstuffs were outright banned, and the prerequisites for third country citizens being permitted to take the others into the EU. The "simple" summary version is in this: https://tinyurl.com/29xneb5x - from which most normal people would conclude that the answer was, for practical purposes, that meat and animal derived products, plus almost all plant material, could not be carried into the EU from Britain (i.e. now a third country). Trying to negotiate zoo and phyto sanitary clearances with border officials on arrival was a clear non-runner!

 

However, time has moved on and, as in my 2022-07-29 5:48 PM post above, having read a number of people's experiences of crossing into the EU, it seemed some kind of relaxation must have been introduced. So I dug around on the Europa website and came up with the above, both of which appear to show that small quantities of such products are now exempted from the normal controls - providing they are purely for personal consumption and will not be sold or traded into the EU market.

 

The original, highly restrictive, regulations were apparently introduced in a rush following a serious outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in UK in 2001 (unfortunately exported unknowingly into France, the Netherlands, and Ireland), at which time they decided to add additional controls aimed at the introduction of plant, as well as animal, pathogens. I imagine the result will have been some degree of chaos at border crossings, especially the eastern borders where no ferries etc are involved, and streams of (particularly Turkish) trucks crossed daily - no doubt all carrying their own food supplies!

 

Whether it would be wise to start querying the basis of the present set up with a border guard I'll leave to your judgement! If we are merely waived through when we arrive, I think I'll just keep schtum and drive quietly away - in case! Sleeping dogs? :-D

[davidmac]

Hi, five weeks ago I crossed the channel via euro tunnel with all the food for my two week trip to the Netherlands and France. I was surprised that there were such long queues at the ports last week as it took less than two minutes to get my passport stamped. No covid check, no check on what was in the motorhome, only the usual gas bottle check.

Regards David

[Matrix Meanderer]

Albertslad - 2022-07-30 11:07 AM

 

Brian Kirby - 2022-07-29 5:48 PM

 

Albertslad - 2022-07-24 4:26 PM

 

Well, to “post colonial and post European Union Brits it apparently seems silly, and making that last pint or two of milk last as long as possible makes sense.

But it’s illegal, all the time, not just if you get caught.

Why risk the wrath of the French customs?

Is it a game?

 

Bon voyage.

But is it illegal? I'd be interested to know where you gained that impression.

 

 

I’m grateful for your research Brian, and I’ll print the information you have provided, just in case I have the opportunity to have a discussion with a French Border official.

 

My impression was gained on this forum, and I’ll admit I can be a little “lazy” when deciding just what I need to concentrate on and what I can gloss over when making my preparations for a trip.

 

In the past we have taken non-perishable foodstuffs, and a small quantity of milk( for the tea, you understand. Not keen on the French milk options available in supermarkets)

 

I imagine that we’ll do a shop as soon as we are able, and make food shopping a daily part of our holiday.

 

If I thought that M Macron might be tempted to make me a pawn in his dealings with the UK government I think I might find somewhere else to spend my time and not inconsiderable €.

 

Got to go now, it’s stopped raining and I’ve got a few jobs to do before we set off for a short trip to York

 

Best regards to you all

A

 

"And a small quantity of milk( for the tea, you understand. Not keen on the French milk options available in supermarkets"

 

All the French supermarkets we use sell fresh milk. Semi skimmed and full fat is always available in the cooled displays.

[goldi]

good morning,

 

It appears that the scare stories about food was whipped up by the media ,or has common sense now prevailed. ?

[Albertslad]

Matrix Meanderer - 2022-07-31 10:21 PM

 

"And a small quantity of milk( for the tea, you understand. Not keen on the French milk options available in supermarkets"

 

All the French supermarkets we use sell fresh milk. Semi skimmed and full fat is always available in the cooled displays.

 

Well Ian, I hope that will be the case for us. On previous trips we’ve spent ages trying to find a semi-skimmed alternative.

And for a country where food is so important, and where the quality of other dairy produce is so high, the milk has often been “UHT rubbish in a cardboard box”

 

It makes all the difference to a cup of tea.

 

Just a few weeks to go now, and we’ll be able to judge how things are for ourselves??

 

Regards