African swine fever (ASF) controls.

ASF is NOT the same disease as swine influenza. It does not affect humans.

ASF is a highly contagious, deadly viral infection disease that can affect farm-raised and feral (wild) pigs which is currently spreading in eastern and central Europe, China, etc. The disease occurs primarily in Africa, more specifically in the countries south of the Sahara (First identified in Kenya in 1921). From 2007, outbreaks were observed in Georgia / Eastern Europe and from 2014 also in the European Union.

The African swine fever (ASF) virus is the sole member of the Asfarviridae family. It is the only DNA virus known that is able to infect arthropods (certain soft-bodied ticks of the genus Ornithodoros), as well as mammals.

ASF virus doesn’t infect people!
Fatality rates are of up to 100%
No effective vaccine against ASF
Exotic Notifiable Diseases for UK

The virus is highly resistant in the environment, meaning that it can survive on clothes, boots, wheels, and other materials. It can also survive in various pork products, such as ham, sausages or bacon.

Several days in faeces
Month(s) in contaminated pig pens
Up to 18 months in blood
Over 140 days in some pork products (salted dried hams)
Years in frozen carcasses

Therefore, human behaviours can play an important role in spreading this pig disease across borders if adequate measures are not taken.

African swine fever kills pigs: https://youtu.be/91T4K9REklQ

African Swine Fever: how to stay one step ahead: African Swine Fever: how to stay one step ahead - YouTube

ASF virus is spreading in parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. In affected areas the disease has been confirmed in wild boar, as well as on farms, smallholdings and in pet pigs.

With no vaccine available, the disease poses a significant risk to our domestic pig herd and our long-term ability to export pork and other pork products around the globe.

New controls restricting the movement of pork and pork products into Great Britain to help safeguard Britain’s pigs from the threat of African swine fever (ASF) have been announced on Wednesday 26^th of September 2024 as per The Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011:

On 1 September 2022, England, Scotland and Wales suspended the personal import of pork and pork products over 2kg from the EU single market area to GB unless produced and labelled to EU commercial standards.

However, these measures have now been tightened through safeguard declarations published by England, Scotland and Wales on 26 September 2024 under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations.

The personal allowance of pork meat and pork products from the EU and EFTA countries is now limited to 2 kg of commercially produced and labelled goods.

For products of animal origin intended for human consumption, this means the products bear a health/identification mark.
For animal by products (not for human consumption), this means the products:
are in commercial packaging that contains the name and address of the feed business operator responsible for its labelling under Regulation (EC) No 767/2009; or
have a label attached to the packaging, container or vehicle, describing the product and stating to which category of animal by products it belongs.

It was found by the Animal and Plant Health Agency that the most likely way the virus could be introduced to Great Britain is by a member of the public bringing pork or pork products back from an ASF-affected country. Following a risk assessment by the Animal and Plant Health Agency on the virus of ASF, DEFRA announced this new controls restricting the movement of pork into Britain to help safeguard the island’s porcine population. The measures will help limit possibly infected porcine meat being brought into Great Britain through various means, such as in passengers’ luggage or in vehicles.

The new control, which came into force from 27^th of September 2024, will strengthen the requirements for bringing pork and pork products into Great Britain from the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association states. It will no longer be legal :

to bring unlabelled pork or pork products
pork or pork products produced to the EU’s commercial standards weighing over 2 kg .

Dover Port Health Authority as enforcement authority of

Is taking action to limit the risk of disease spreading by flowing strictly legal base.

The successful collaboration between the Dover Port Health Authority and Border Force has shown incredible results in restricting people bringing in high-risk pork and pork products that could carry this virus until further notice.

Everyone can do their bit to help stop animal diseases spreading to this country by simply not bringing pork and other meats onto our shores.

When entering Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) from EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland), you must only bring pork or pork products less than 2kg in weight (allowance is per person) that is either:

commercially packaged with an EU identification mark (for products)
stamped with a health mark (for carcases)

Animal By Products (ABPs) must either:

be in commercial packaging which includes the name and address of the feed business operator responsible for its labelling under Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 (animal feed only)
have a label describing the product (including the category of ABP it belongs) and an ABP commercial document.

If you have any food left over during your travel, use a secure bin to dispose of the food waste before entering the UK.

You can bring pork or pork product under 2kg (per person) that is commercially packaged or health marked back from EU or EFTA countries, but you must dispose of it so that pigs and wild boar cannot eat it.

It is illegal to bring personal meat or dairy products into the UK from countries outside EU. You may face prosecution and a large fine if you import personal meat or dairy products from Rest of the World countries when entering the UK.

Personal_imports_of_porcine_products_from_certain_third_countries_Declaration_of_special_measures__England_.pdf came into force on 27tht of September 2024 and is:

Applicable only for EEA countries, The Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland.
Applicable only for porcine products.

Porcine products can be imported into England or Scotland if they are:

Commercially produced (bear a health mark or an identification mark as per the EU standard).

Unfortunately, the term health mark is frequently used incorrectly to also refer to the identification mark.

Article 3 of the Regulation (EU) 2017/625 defined 'health mark' as:

'a mark applied after the official controls referred to in points (a) and (c) of Article 18(2) (see below) have been performed and which attests that the meat is fit for human consumption. (The definition exclude poultry, fish, …)'

Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 specify the EU Health and identification requirements for marking.
Annex II of the Regulation (EU) 2019/627 specify the practical arrangement for the health mark.
Annex II, Section I of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 specify the method of identification marking (EU standard)
Controls on bringing pork and pork products into Great Britain from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, The Faroe Islands and Greenland

For commercially produced animal by-products or derived products, they must be:

Packaged in accordance with Article 23(1) of Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 of the European Parliament and included on the packaging the name and address of the feed business operator responsible for its labelling under Article 12(2) of that Regulation; or
Have a label attached to the packaging, container or vehicle, describing the product and stating to which category of animal by-products it belongs.

Personal consumption - the combined weight of porcine products bearing a health mark or an identification mark as per the EU standard, imported at any given time does not exceed 2 kg.

1. What is ASF?

African swine fever (ASF) is a disease of domestic pigs and wild boar caused by a virus. Infection with the ASF virus usually leads to an acute and severe, often lethal, disease in these animals. ASF is a notifiable epizootic disease, the control of which is regulated in GB- The Diseases of Swine Regulations 2014 for the control of African swine fever.

2. How is ASF controlled in GB?

ASF is a notifiable animal disease the control of which is regulated in GB by law. An overview of the legal provision on ASF can be found at The Diseases of Swine Regulations 2014 for the control of African swine fever.

More information on the subject:

3. Which authorities deal with ASF control on the Dover port?

Dover port health authority in collaboration with Border Force.

More information on the subject:

African Swine Fever poster

4. How is the pathogen transferred?

The ASF virus can be transmitted between animals through various channels. In addition to direct infection, transmission is also possible via certain tick species. Due to the limited distribution area of the relevant ticks, however, this transmission path is of no consequence in northern Europe. The virus is transmitted mainly through direct contact between infected animals or contact with the excretions of infected animals. As soon as it has found its way into the environment, the pathogen can remain infectious for a longer time.

Foods produced from infected animals which are consumed by non-infected animals play a special role. The virus can remain infectious for several months in foods produced from infected animals, such as ham. Via foods of this kind, the pathogen can find its way into previously ASF-free regions and cause disease in pigs and wild boar. Food scraps should therefore be disposed of in such a way that they cannot be reached by wild boar.

5. What can importers do to ensure that the virus does not spread further?

It happened repeatedly in EU that the ASF virus was introduced into previously ASF-free pig and wild boar herds through foods that were produced in regions in which the ASF virus is widespread. To prevent introduction from third countries, strict compliance with legislation on the import of foods is important. In general, Personal_imports_of_porcine_products_from_certain_third_countries_Declaration_of_special_measures__England_.pdf

must be followed and food waste containing animal ingredients should be disposed of in such a way that they cannot be reached by other animals.

6. How to stop the spread of ASF to the UK:

If you are visiting non-EU countries, you must not bring any pork or pork products back to the UK.
If you are visiting EU or EFTA countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein), you must not bring more than 2 kg of commercially labelled pork or pork products.
Disposing of leftovers or food waste in secure bins that pigs or wildlife cannot access.
Farmers, the public and members of the food industry should practice high biosecurity standards, including never feeding catering waste, kitchen scraps or meat products to pigs, which is illegal and can spread the disease.

7. Why was my meat seized?

Because the porcine products were:

Entering Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) from EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands and Greenland), AND
Not commercially packed porcine product OR
Over 2kg in weight (allowance is per person) of pork or pork products that are
- In commercial packaging which includes the name and address of the feed business operator responsible for its labelling under Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 (animal feed only)
- Label describing the product (including the category of ABP it belongs) and an ABP commercial document.

commercially packaged with an EU identification mark (for products) OR
stamped with a health mark (for carcases)
Animal By Products (ABPs) which are:

8. What to do with the left-over porcine products after my traveling?

You can bring pork or pork product under 2kg (per person) that is commercially packaged, or health marked back from EU or EFTA countries, but you must dispose any leftovers of it so that pigs and wild boar cannot eat it.

It is illegal to bring any quantity of meat or dairy products for personal consumption into the UK from rest of the world countries. You may face prosecution and a large fine if you import personal meat or dairy products from rest of the world when entering the UK.

9. Can I import game trophies from EU into GB?

APHA confirmed if the game trophies meet the conditions of the general licence: Game trophies and other preparations (IMP/GEN/14/06) they will be exempt of the conditions of Personal_imports_of_porcine_products_from_certain_third_countries_Declaration_of_special_measures__England_.pdf

10.Where to find more information?

African swine fever (ASF) controls.

African swine fever (ASF) background

Current situation

Legislation

Current restrictions

Dover Port Health Authority controls

Entering Great Britain from EU or EFTA countries

What do Dover Port Health Authority check?

Frequently Asked Questions