Defra has told the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee it is learning its lessons on border controls and taking steps to make them make them more secure.
Responding to the Committee’s recent heavily-critical report, UK-EU Trade: Towards a resilient border strategy, the department broadly accepted many of the conclusions and recommendations relating to the UK’s trade in food and plant products.
EFRA’s report found several flaws in the current arrangements around the workings of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) –
In its response, Defra acknowledges that to maintain standards and safeguard biosecurity at borders, a ‘robust, risk-based regime is essential’, says the response. While it emphasises the need to balance ‘transparency with commercial sensitivity and operational confidentiality,’ the response offers clarity on several points.
There are assurances that lessons have been learned following outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Europe in early 2025. Work on commodity codes for the top five notifiable diseases is complete, but the Department will not publish details to avoid exploitation risks.
There is now capacity for an immediate health response if there is another notifiable disease outbreak, the Department told the committee.
It also said ministers are working to improve conditions for drivers in Sevington inland Border Control Post. However, until negotiations on the SPS Agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures are completed, it is clear that uncertainty on what the border will look like in the future remains.
The Department said it will provide a snapshot of inspection attendance rates at Sevington by the end of January 2026, enabling the Committee to examine the data and assess compliance by commercial traders.
During the transition away from BTOM to the UK-EU SPS Agreement, the Government agrees it is vital to ensure timelines for decision making and delivery are communicated ‘with as much notice as possible’ to minimise disruption to those involved.
Welcome acceptance
EFRA chair Alistair Carmichael MP, said: “We welcome Defra’s acceptance of many of our findings and are encouraged by its broad agreement to our recommendations.
“Rather than blame a lack of information-sharing on the outcomes of SPS negotiations, there is enough detail here to demonstrate that ministers are taking the Committee’s concerns seriously.
“As negotiations begin, the Committee will continue to monitor the situation and the impact on the different stakeholders who shared their concerns with us.”