29
Accepted
Public awareness of personal import rules is overestimated and survey methods are inadequate.
Conclusion
Relying on the goodwill of EU travel operators to communicate personal import rules is not an acceptable approach. Defra has acknowledged that its current survey methods make it difficult to assess public awareness of personal import restrictions, and it has subsequently revised down its own estimates after we raised concerns about the methodology used in its quarterly attitude tracker. Nevertheless, even the updated figure of 81% traveller awareness—reduced from the original figure of over 90%— still appears high and does not align with the Committee’s experience. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the importance of travellers understanding the rules and notes that GB legislation requires international passenger transport operators to inform customers of personal import restrictions.
Government Response
Accepted
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government accepts this recommendation and the importance of travellers understanding the rules that apply to them. GB legislation includes a requirement for international passenger transport operators to draw the attention of their customer to additional information from the competent authority. For people travelling to GB from the EU, this can include details of the GB ban on personal imports of certain meat and dairy products from the EU. The government appreciates international passenger transport operators’ cooperation in continuing to draw travellers’ attention to UK personal import rules, particularly in locations outside UK jurisdiction.
Source
Inquiry
Animal and plant health
Report
5th Report - UK-EU agritrade: making an SPS agreement work
05 Feb 2026
HC 1661
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.3 yrs
Report published
05 Feb 2026