29
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
A response document is linked to this report, dated 17 April 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.
Source
Inquiry
Biosecurity and animal welfare
Report
5th Report - UK-EU agritrade: making an SPS agreement work
05 Feb 2026
HC 1661
Addressee Bodies
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.6 yr
Report published
05 Feb 2026