Dutch customs on Dutch TV taking away drivers’ ham sandwiches on ferry from UK arriving at Hook of Holland, also put seized food shopping (Waitrose?) on facebook - this is a standard implication of Brexit deal, long indicated in prep documents both in UK and EU...

The interesting thing here will be how this new prohibition (without correct documentation) on free flow of even personal food exports from UK to EU (and eventually vice versa) will be applied on short straits at Coquelles? Calais? UK side juxtaposed controls? Not at all?

Dutch incredibly organised on full implications of Brexit for their customs - three years’ ago Dutch customs developed online portal explaining full implications of non-tariff barriers, advised small businesses not to use GB parts (rules of origin) etc https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/1004072750779158528?s=20

This is why I don’t really get the strategy of even rhetorical denial of establishment of new non-tariff barriers, eg by PM.

Three years ago Dutch had “Brexit Loeket” program telling all small business about new NTBs, how to avoid, and how to take advantage vs UK competitors...

Obviously this prohibition is irrelevant economically, and will appear petty given the absolute certainty that everything seized would have been produced to EU standards, but Dutch customs applying law/ terms of deal/ trying to communicate to UK drivers not to bring foodstuffs

Details:

Prohibited - meat and milk products such as ham and cheese.
Exceptions - baby milk, some special pet foods.

More exemptions that you can pack in your cross channel lunch box...

Bread (hence the driver asking if the Dutch customs would only confiscate the ham in his sarnie - they refused)
Cake and chocolate...
Pasta
And the oddly specific “fish stuffed olives”

Unfortunately not.

April 1st will though see introduction of health/ SPS certificates on EU food imports into GB... and end of some easements for GB-NI, so an important date.

https://twitter.com/wizthoughtful/status/1348704777757216768?s=21