The introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin (meat products and milk products) is subject to very strict restrictions.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 206/2009 of 5 March 2009 on the introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin and amending Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 (OJ L 77 of  24.03.2009) laying down the rules concerning the introduction into the Community of personal consignments of products of animal origin sets out the following rules on import of personal consignments of products of animal origin:

1. No consignment of meat and meat products, milk products (including pasta, bakers' wares, preparedvegetables, if they contain meat or milk) can be introduced into the Community without having been subjected to the appropriate veterinary checks.
2. In the case of powdered infant milk, infant food, and special foods required for medical reasons under the conditions that these products do not require refrigeration before opening, are packaged proprietary brand products for direct sale to the final consumer and that the packaging is unbroken unless in current use, the import is allowable if their total weight does not exceed 2 kg.
3. The import of eviscerated fresh or prepared fishery products, or processed fishery products, and their combined quantity does not exceed the weight limit of 20 kg or the weight of one fish, whichever weight is the highest is allowable.
4. The import of special pet feed required for medical reasons, under the conditions that these products: do not require refrigeration before opening; are packaged proprietary brand products for direct sale to the final consumer; and that the packaging is unbroken unless in current use, is allowable.

All products of animal originwhich do not fulfill the above mentioned requirements should be destroyed after their introduction into the customs territory of the Community.

There are posters advertising the rules at all EU border crossing points. The posters can be obtained from the internet website of the European Commission at:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/ah_pcad/ah_pcad_importposters_en.html

The above rules are presented in the film at:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/animalproducts/personal_imports/index_en.htm