The Eurostar quickly pulled a pork snack from the Brussels Midi train station after an emergency biosecurity warning that illegal imports threatened the UK’s borders.
It has recently been revealed that a wide range of prohibited food products are being sold in shops that are accessible to passengers traveling to London, beyond security and passport control.
This was intended to stop the spreading of water and mouth disease (FMD) across Europe despite the stricter UK regulations on individual imports introduced in April.
Under updated regulations, it is illegal to bring foods such as cured meat, cheese and milk from the EU to the UK. Travelers will be fined up to £5,000 for breaching the rules.
The National Pig Association (NPA) described the report as “very uneasy” and urged the government to take action.
“Obviously, these control news has been in place for a while, but has not been accepted and understood,” said Katie Jarvis, senior policy advisor at the NPA.
In response, a spokesman for Eurostar confirmed that the product had been removed.
“EUSTAR has communicated new regulations to customers on its website and placed a clear sign at the relevant starting point following the UK government’s decision to ban meat and dairy imports from the EU,” they said.
They added that while the Eurostar terminal and retailer at Brussels Midi are owned and managed by the SNCB rather than the Eurostar, SNCB has confirmed that products that were banned are now being withdrawn.
The NPA welcomed the move, highlighting the importance of an ongoing awareness campaign on personal import restrictions, particularly as the summer holiday season intensifies.
Bodh has long campaigned for stricter national biosecurity management and proper enforcement, highlighting that FMD is not the only threat to UK livestock.
Spreading of African pig fever (ASF) across Europe poses certain risks, with recent reports showing a surge in cases in Germany.
