UK bans raw‑milk cheese imports from France and Italy over Lumpy Skin Disease outbreak

The United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has prohibited the import of all cheeses made with unpasteurised milk from France and Italy. The ban follows the detection of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle – the first case in Sardinia, Italy on 21 June 2025 and a case near Chambéry, France on 29 June 2025 – prompting the UK to revoke the countries’ LSD‑free status and also suspend live‑cattle imports.

Cheeses produced before 23 May may still be imported if proper paperwork is provided, but shortages are expected as existing stocks run out. The restriction applies to commercial shipments and to travellers bringing cheese back to the UK. Authorities stress that the disease cannot be transmitted to humans through cheese consumption, and the affected cheeses continue to be sold throughout the EU.