British officials remain concerned about the potential importation of Foot and Mouth disease
The United Kingdom has taken significant steps to safeguard its farming industry and economy from the potential threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). Due to the enormous cost associated with an outbreak, travellers entering the UK are currently prohibited from bringing in untreated meat or dairy products from Germany, Austria, Hungary, and other EU countries. This ban encompasses various meats such as lamb, pork, mutton, venison, goat meat, and related products like sandwiches or sausages containing these meats, as well as dairy products like cheese, yoghurt, butter, milk, and pâté [1][2][4].
The restrictions, which have been in place since at least April 2025, are a response to the highly contagious nature of FMD, which can be carried in animal products, with the virus remaining viable for months. An outbreak would have severe consequences for the UK farming industry, potentially leading to large-scale culling and significant economic costs [1][2].
In addition to these measures, imports of animal casings from countries not recognized as free of FMD require risk mitigating treatments and must meet strict requirements approved by UK authorities [3].
In a bid to further strengthen its defences against high-risk animal diseases, the UK Government announced a £1 billion investment in June of this year for a National Biosecurity Centre. This scientific campus in Surrey will serve as the UK's foremost animal biosecurity facility, enhancing the country's detection, surveillance, and control capabilities for diseases such as avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, and African swine fever [2].
The National Biosecurity Centre will also improve the UK's ability to manage concurrent disease outbreaks, a crucial aspect given the interconnected nature of modern agriculture. The memory of the last major Foot and Mouth outbreak in the UK, which occurred in 2001 and lasted for nearly eight months, is still fresh. During this period, a staggering 6.45 million animals were destroyed, and the cost of controlling the outbreak in current prices was a staggering £15 billion [5][6].
The UK's proactive approach to biosecurity is a testament to its commitment to protecting its livestock and farming economy. Travellers are strongly urged to comply with these measures to help safeguard the nation from the potential devastation that an FMD outbreak could bring [2]. The UK continues to enforce these restrictions amid recent cases of FMD in Hungary, Austria, and Germany [1][4].
The National Biosecurity Centre, a £1 billion investment in the UK's scientific research, aims to improve the country's detection and control capabilities for various medical-conditions like avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, and African swine fever [2]. The ongoing restrictions on meat and dairy imports from certain EU countries, particularly Germany, Austria, Hungary, are tied to financial implications, as an FMD outbreak could cause severe economic losses similar to the £15 billion cost incurred during the 2001 outbreak [5][6].
