By breaking the rules you could face serious delays when coming back home from your holiday at the port of entry, prosecution and a fine. You should also be aware that you will not be able to enjoy the product you attempted to bring in as personal consignments that break the rules are seized and destroyed.

It is important to remember that these rules exist in order to protect your health and the health of the EU's livestock from serious animal diseases.

So, ask yourself is it worth taking such risks?

When returning home from most countries outside the EU, it is illegal to bring back any meat or dairy products whether these are for yourself or as a gift for others.

A few neighbouring countries are excluded. For example, if you are returning from Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland or Iceland you can bring back less than 10 kilos of certain products of animal origin. There are also a few other exceptions: one, for instance, concerns powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods or special pet food required for medical reasons. These products, however, must be in sealed packaging and should not weigh more than two kilos or require refrigeration before opening.

You can also bring back fish and certain shellfish provided they do not exceed 20 kilos in weight, except from the Faeroe Islands or Iceland where no weight restrictions apply. Other animal products, such as honey, also have a weight restriction of two kilos.

When transporting animal products between countries inside the EU, these rules do not apply. Nor do they apply if you are coming from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino or Switzerland.

Further restrictions may apply in the event of infectious animal diseases in third countries.

In case of doubt, it is recommended to check with the veterinary service at the point of entry into the EU (airport, port, road, etc.).

EU citizen travelling within the EU: Travelling within EU with your pet is possible: there are just a few things to keep in mind. A valid anti-rabies vaccination must be entered into your pet passport when you travel with your dog to another EU country. However, if you travel to Ireland, Finland, Malta or the United Kingdom your pet will also need to undergo anti-parasite treatment. These rules are only applicable to dogs, cats and ferrets. For young dogs or cats or any other types of pets, it is advisable to check with the competent authorities of the EU country that you are planning to visit to find out the specific conditions it sets for travelling to that country with your pet.

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EU citizen travelling home from outside the EU: A pet passport is used for pets travelling within EU countries or returning home from outside the EU. Depending on your holiday destination, your pet may be required, in addition to the anti-rabies vaccination, to undergo tests and wait for three months before entering the EU. If you are a resident of Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or the Vatican City State holding a pet passport for your pet you are entitled to travel with your pet within the EU.

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In the past few years many serious accidents, including fatalities, have been reported in connection with charcoal grills being used indoors.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a dangerous gas given off when burning charcoal. You can't see it, you can't smell it, but it can be fatal when it accumulates in high concentrations, for example if you BBQ inside your home, caravans or tent.

Always use BBQs outdoors and enjoy the BBQ season in safety!

At the start of the holiday season, many people start to think about what they need to protect themselves and their families during a sunny summer or if travelling to a sunny destination.

Sunscreen products protect from UV radiation and can be effective in preventing sun-burn and skin cancer. Consumers should therefore use sunscreens appropriately: choosing sunscreen products with both UVA and UVB protection (EU requirements on clear labelling make it easier to identify those products); using the right factor; using enough sunscreen (6 full tea spoons for one adult body); applying sunscreen regularly enough.

Sunscreen products should be only one of a number of measures to protect from the UV radiation of the sun.

See information, facts, figures and pictograms

Thanks to new EU rules that are now in place all 27 Member States (IP/12/528), timeshare sellers must provide detailed information to customers in appropriate time, before the customer is bound by any contract, including the price to be paid, a description of the product and the exact period and length of stay that the customer is entitled to under the contract. This information should be provided in the customer's own language if they so choose.

The rules also ensure that customers may withdraw from a contract within a "cooling-off" period of 14 calendar days and that traders are not allowed to ask customers for any form of advance payment or deposit during that period. Before the conclusion of the contract, the trader is required to explicitly draw the customer’s attention to the existence of the right of withdrawal, the length of the withdrawal period and the ban on advance payments during the withdrawal period.

The Package Travel Directive protects European consumers going on holidays and covers pre-arranged package holidays combining at least two of the following: (1) transport, (2) accommodation (3) other tourists services such as sightseeing tours (sold at an inclusive price).

The Directive provides protection covering: information in brochures, rights to cancel without penalty, liability for services (e.g. sub-standard hotels) and protection in the case of a tour operator or airline going bust.

If you have problems with a scheduled or charter airline (such as flight cancellations or delays), you have specific rights under the EU's Passenger Rights Regulation. If you believe that your consumer rights have not been respected in some other way (for example, your package holiday is not as described by the travel company, or a car rental company has overcharged you for a service which you have not requested), complain to the company first and see if you can resolve the problem by mutual agreement.

If this fails, then turn to your national consumer organisation for advice. A list of contacts is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/empowerment/cons_networks_en.htm#national

If you are unable to resolve the complaint with a company based in another EU country, a European Consumer Centre in your country can help you with your case.

The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) is an EU-wide network co-sponsored by the European Commission and the Member States. It is made up of 29 centres, one in each of the 27 EU Member States and also in Iceland and Norway. The ECCs can offer legal and practical advice, help to mediate with a company in another European country, or propose other solutions.

More on the ECC-Net, including contact details: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/index_en.htm

In fact, it may be useful to become aware of your rights even before you start your holidays.

More on your rights concerning airlines, car rental company and package travel:

• http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/consumer_topics/air_travel_en.htm
• http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/consumer_topics/car_rental_en.htm
• http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/ecc/consumer_topics/package_travel_en.htm