Concessions for personal imports of Products of Animal Origin
Details of concessions available for the importation of Products of Animal Origin (POAO) into Northern Ireland.
Important concessions for personal imports (baggage and post)
Commission Regulation EC 206/2009 came into force on 1st May 2009. This Regulation increased the concessions availble to passengers importing products of animal origin into the EU Community.for personal use.
From the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland or Croatia:
- 10kg per person of powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons in personal baggage is permitted. They must not require refrigeration before opening, and must be proprietary brand products for direct sale to the final customer in unbroken packaging.
- 20 kg per person of eggs, egg products, honey, frogs legs, gutted fishery products (there are no restrictions on fishery products comming from the Faeroe Islands or Iceland) and shellfish, where permitted (See What food can I bring into the United Kingdom (UK)?) may be brought in for personal use, irrespective of packaging, in a persons personal luggage or sent to a privately named individual.
- 10kg per person of meat, meat products, milk or dairy products (must be pasteurised)
- Cakes, biscuits and confectionery for personal use are normally permitted. If in doubt seek advice from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
- 10kg per person of Special Pet food required for medical reasons
From all other Countries
- 2kg per person of powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons in personal baggage is permitted. They must not require refrigeration before opening, and must be proprietary brand products for direct sale to the final customer in unbroken packaging.
- 20kg per person of fish( must be gutted) or fishery products
- 2kg per person of eggs, egg products, honey or frogs legs
- Fresh, smoked or dried meat, cheese, potatoes and potato seeds are not permitted under any circumstances.
- 2kg per person of Special Pet food required for medical reasons
- No meat or dairy products are permitted
All the above items must be from from disease.
Any items found to be in breach of the above import rules are liable to be seized.
Where a product of animal origin (for example, a meat or dairy product) appears to have been produced and packaged in a European Union country and is being brought into the UK from a third country it is deemed to have been consigned from that third country and cannot be permitted entry.
Relevant legislation
Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004
Related Information
Guidance on concessions for individual countries and detailed product or country concessions from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Please note that some of these links are to non Department of Agriculture and Rural Development sites.
We are not responsible for the content or reliability of the linked websites. Listing should not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all the time and we have no control over the availability of linked pages.
