New restrictions on transport of food from Gibraltar to Spain

THERE have already been a number of complaints from cross border workers returning to Spain from Gibraltar about the fact that food stuffs are being confiscated by Guardia Civil who operate customs checks.

At the moment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, visitors are not allowed to enter Gibraltar for shopping purposes but until such time as formal rules concerning Schengen and the Rock’s membership are confirmed, it must be assumed that Gibraltar is a non-Eu Country for customs purposes.

The Gibraltar Government has today (January 4) confirmed that it is no longer be possible for persons to introduce the following goods into the EU via the customs border at La Linea de la Concepcion, despite the fact that much of it may have originally been imported from Spain in the first place;

(1) Any quantity of meat and milk and their products (other than powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons or pet food required for animal health-related reasons);

(2) Personal consignments of powdered infant milk, infant food, and special foods required for medical reasons unless their combined quantity does not exceed the weight limit of 2kg per person and: (i) the product does not require refrigeration before consumption; (ii) the product is a packaged proprietary brand product; and (iii) the packaging is unbroken unless in current use;

(3) Personal consignments of pet food required for animal health-related reasons unless their combined weight does not exceed the weight limit of 2kg per person and: (i) the product does not require refrigeration before consumption; (ii) the product is a packaged proprietary brand product; and (iii) the packaging is unbroken unless in current use;

(4) Personal consignments of fishery products (including fresh, dried, cooked, cured or smoked fish, and certain shellfish, such as prawns, lobsters, dead mussels and dead oysters) unless: (i) fresh fish are eviscerated; and (ii) the weight of the fishery products does not exceed, per person, 20 kg or the weight of one fish, whichever weight is the highest; or

(5) Personal consignments of other specific animal products such as honey, live oysters, live mussels and snails unless that their combined quantity does not exceed 2 kg per person.

EU law stipulates that the goods listed above must, unless they fall into one of the described exemptions, undergo official controls at “Border Control Posts” (or “BCPs”).

Since the border at La Linea de la Concepcion is not designated by Spain as a BCP it is no longer possible to introduce these products into Spain via the land border.

It would appear however that it will still be possible to carry cigarettes and alcohol into Spain, within the prescribed limits.

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