LONDON — In a significant move to uphold biosecurity measures, Eurostar has removed banned snacks from the departures area at Brussels Midi station. This action follows warnings that these products could violate United Kingdom biosecurity regulations.
Since April of this year, it has been illegal to bring certain food items, including cured meats, cheese, and milk, into the United Kingdom from the European Union. This regulation aims to prevent the potential spread of foot-and-mouth disease, a serious threat to British agriculture.
Concerns over illegal sales
Despite these restrictions, a recent report revealed that the duty-free shop located in the departures area was still offering EU pork products, which could result in a hefty £5,000 fine for travelers attempting to bring them into Great Britain. The retail outlet, which Eurostar confirmed is managed by the Belgian public railway company SNCB, serves only passengers traveling to London.
British pig farmers have expressed their alarm over the situation, fearing that the continued availability of such products could lead to a devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak in the UK. Following the publication of the report, a Eurostar spokesperson announced that the products had been promptly withdrawn.
“Following the UK Government’s decision to ban the import of meat and dairy products from the EU, Eurostar has communicated the new regulations to customers on its website and placed clear signage at relevant departure points,”
the spokesperson stated. They further clarified that the Eurostar terminal and retail concessions at Brussels Midi are owned and managed by SNCB, who confirmed the removal of the offending products.
Biosecurity measures in focus
The regulations, which were initiated on April 12, are deemed essential to mitigate the risk of foot-and-mouth disease entering the UK, according to Dr. Jorge Martin-Almagro, the U.K.’s deputy chief veterinary officer for international and trade affairs. The shop in question, known for selling items such as a 40-pack of cured sausages, is situated just five meters away from a U.K. Border Force post, where British officials are constantly stationed to check passports.
A spokesperson for the U.K. government emphasized the importance of these measures: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot-and-mouth disease. We are working closely with Border Force, ports, airports, and international travel operators, to increase awareness of the new restrictions including via prominent signs.”
The ban on personal imports of meat and dairy products was implemented after foot-and-mouth cases were detected in both Hungary and Germany earlier this year. However, experts have raised concerns about the adequacy of funding for U.K. health officials to enforce these new rules effectively.
The last major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the U.K. occurred in 2001, resulting in the slaughter of six million cows and sheep and imposing significant restrictions on access to the countryside to curb the disease’s spread. The economic fallout from that outbreak was estimated to be around £8 billion.