Taking Food into Europe (2023)?

[Polonius Monk]

Hi,

First time poster so please be gentle! Apologies if this has been asked already and my search skills have let me down.

I'm planning a European tour later in the year (bike on ferry across to the Hook of Holland -- first time I'll have been on a ferry in over a decade) and I wonder if anyone has any experience of taking food in their panniers into Europe in 2023?

The phytosanitary regulations (https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/t ... shortcut-3) -- as read -- suggest that you cannot take any dairy or meat into the EU without a certificate (assuming I'm not getting the wrong end of the stick). Does anyone have an idea on how this is being interpreted and enforced please? I can see the sense in preventing people bringing raw meat or unpasteurised cheese for biosecurity reasons but a literal reading would basically prohibit everything raw or processed, whether a freeze dried camping meal, milk chocolate, some mueslis or even a bag of Haribo...

Basically I don't want to end up (spending money and) dumping half my panniers out on the quayside! Which raises the question of *whose* quaysde: were the checks made on embarkation or disembarkation?

Thanks in advance for any info anyone can supply.

PM
PS: thanks for the Security Checks on UK Ferries thread by the way -- I now know not to take my Swiss Army Knife and buy a cooking knife and gas on the mainland!

[nirakaro]

I've no recent experience of the Netherlands, but in Calais last year there were no checks whatsoever. Just like the good old days!

[pjclinch]

We're over to NL a fair bit (mijn vrouw is Nederlands) and we never take food with us. You're never far from a town, so you're never far from an Albert Heijn, Jumbo or similar. Seems daft to cart stuff about when you can get fresh at the shop there...

Pete.

[Jdsk]

Welcome.

...
I can see the sense in preventing people bringing raw meat or unpasteurised cheese for biosecurity reasons but a literal reading would basically prohibit everything raw or processed, whether a freeze dried camping meal, milk chocolate, some mueslis or even a bag of Haribo...
...

I don't think that's what it says...

As above, I haven't had to turn everything out.

...

I carry a multitool with a locking blade.

And I recommend reading the discussion about carrying proof of purchase for the bikes:
viewtopic.php?t=153014

Jonathan

[MrsHJ]

I assumed that you cant take meat/cheese eg in sarnies but wrapped uncomplicated stuff like biscuits and chocolate would be fine -although I can’t see much point in importing anything to France as they have great food and it’s widely available. I understand though that you may want to take freezedried food as a backup. I thought that was ok.

[scragend]

In my three post-Brexit ferry crossings into the EU (Harwich-Hoek, Newcastle-IJmuiden, Dover-Dunkerque), I haven't seen any evidence of enforcement of this.

[simonhill]

I agree, meat and cheese, etc loose or in sandwiches are not allowed. I have never been stopped ferry, plane or bike into EU. Nonetheless, it IS illegal, so always a chance of a stop and why risk even the slightest chance of contaminating someone else's country.

Long haul type international airports often have amnesty bins to dump your stuff in.

In some countries highly processed foodstuffs are exempt. I have no idea if that applies in EU re your freeze dried meals. You will need to dig into the full regulations (joy of joys) to check.

Don't forget that the UK also have rules on importing stuff. Dairy and meat, plus some plant stuff.

[F70100]

I’ve used the Harwich - HvH ferry half a dozen times over the last 18 months (mostly with a Campervan, couple of times with the motorbike). Leaving Harwich you go through port security. We always get stopped with the Campervan; they want to know that the gas is off and have a look inside. They have never raised any issues about knives in the “kitchen”. They usually use a mirror thing to check under use vehicle; not really sure what they’re looking for. With the motorbike, always get waved through port security.

On arrival at HvH, customs usually seem to stop trade vans rather than tourists. Don’t think they’re that interested in cheese sandwiches.

There’s a branch of the Albert Hein supermarket about 400m ride from the passport checkpoint. They have all the cheese and ham you could wish for. They don’t take credit cards.

[francovendee]

I have a friend who drives to France around 6 times a year. He always brought cheese, sausages and bacon over for us. He stopped doing this as the rules banned their import. He's never been stopped and searched and more recently brought small amounts of cheese over for his own use.
He tells me that the police are stopping cars just outside the port but he's willing to take a chance on the small amount he carries.

I'd think a cyclist would be less likely than a motorist to be stopped.
I've always thought the rules were there to stop imports at a commercial level.

[bikes4two]

We're over to NL a fair bit (mijn vrouw is Nederlands) and we never take food with us. You're never far from a town, so you're never far from an Albert Heijn, Jumbo or similar. Seems daft to cart stuff about when you can get fresh at the shop there...

Pete.

In your many visits, have you or onyone else that you're aware of, been stopped and searched for food products?

I ask this as we're off to France later this month in our small campervan and whilst you say there's no shortage of local produce, that's not the point for those on a tight budget and facing higher prices on the Continent.

[simonhill]

These restrictions only applied pre and post EU membership, so most people will have mainly travelled in a no restriction time.

I've never been stopped. I usually take oats and raisins (allowed) for breakfast.

Things could change as time goes on, particularly if they think lots of stuff coming in, or an outbreak of something.

[hamster]

I ask this as we're off to France later this month in our small campervan and whilst you say there's no shortage of local produce, that's not the point for those on a tight budget and facing higher prices on the Continent.

Prices are usually cheaper in France even with the weak British Peso.

[Polonius Monk]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I expect to be in Europe for more than six weeks, so will definitely be visiting supermarkets and restaurants! Ultimately I am heading for Nordkapp and will be wild camping some days and want to bank some "oh ****, all the shops in town were closed" dehydrated meals (and it's easier to get them here than search out outdoor shops on the mainland). Also I don't know whether I will be on a day or night ferry at the moment, so having the flexibility of being able to just hit a campsite and know I won't need to go foraging immediately would be handy. Finally I just find waste upsetting.

I'm completely out of the loop on ferries and bikes: my concern is around arriving as, effectively, a foot passenger at the terminal and being subject to airport-style security (as distinct from the cars and caravans) and/or dealing with an overzealous employee wanting to confiscate my tent pegs. The fact that there are 50kg canisters of propane all over the car decks and enough knives in caravan drawers to build a bridge across the channel would be irrelevant. IIRC the last time I went on a ferry with a bike was in the 90s and it was basically "lash, it to that scaffold pole over there mate and head up on deck"...

My SAK was a gift from my late father and I don't want to take any risk of having it confiscated. I expect I can pick up Primus style canisters in any large supermarket or gas(hah!) station. Will have a look on Google Maps for shops near to the HoH.

Thanks for the caution about customs on the homeward leg. I'm hoping to courier my bike back (which is proving more complex than initially expected) and, unencumbered, take the sleeper from Kiruna for a city break in Copenhagen so have already dug out the invoice for the bike, thanks (and will do the same for the tent etc). Hopefully the Spa Cycles logo will give it an aura of protection. Good idea about the "hostage with today's newspaper" photo of the bike by the village sign though!

Cheers,

PM

[Jdsk]

...
Thanks for the caution about customs on the homeward leg. I'm hoping to courier my bike back (which is proving more complex than initially expected) and, unencumbered, take the sleeper from Kiruna for a city break in Copenhagen so have already dug out the invoice for the bike, thanks (and will do the same for the tent etc). Hopefully the Spa Cycles logo will give it an aura of protection. Good idea about the "hostage with today's newspaper" photo of the bike by the village sign though!
...

I'd guess that moving the bike by courier will greatly increase the risk of its origin being checked.

Jonathan

PS: Happy memories of Kiruna before we set off down the Kungsleden. : - )

[simonhill]

I started that security at ferry post. From memory, all the problems are outbound from Portsmouth - where I was checked. I can't remember any checks being reported on the Harwich to Hook service.

If you want an emergency meal or two, why not take veggie ones. They are allowed.

As for finding camping type shops, you can search on Google maps and locate one that is on your route.