Defra has launched a Call for Information’ from businesses that will be affected by the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, as negotiations on a deal continue.
The department has also released more details on the likely make up of the agreement, and is urging businesses to take simple steps to prepare for the landmark deal, that it said would ‘cut costs, slash red tape and open up opportunities for exporters and importers’.
Defra secretary Emma Reynolds set out today how UK exporters and importers are expected to benefit from the new agreement – including being ‘freed from the mountains of paperwork, unnecessary delays and spiralling costs of current arrangements, cutting red tape, opening opportunities for growth for large and small importers and exporters across the country, and helping put British produce back on European tables’.
Defra pointed out that since 2018, the value of exports of food and agricultural products to the EU have fallen by 22%, a drop of almost £4 billion in real terms.
It said costs to businesses expected to be removed by the deal include:
- Export Health Certificates costing up to £200 for agri-food goods
- Phytosanitary Certificates costing approximately £25 alongside inspection fees of at least £127.60
- Organic Certificates of Inspection, required for the export of organic lamb and cheese, costing on average £35
- Identity check fees on meat and dairy exports adding £31 per load on average
- Sampling which can add approximately £1,200 to a cheese load, £1,400 to a salmon shipment, £440 to a load of apples, and £1,200 to a beef load.
Approximately 500,000 businesses are expected to be affected. This includes businesses operating entirely within Great Britain who do not currently trade directly with the EU, as well as exporters and importers.
Defra said trade will flow faster, while businesses will benefit from a simpler, cheaper process for moving most agrifood goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The government is aiming to finalise negotiations on smoother trade and ‘secure the best deal for UK businesses later this year, so they can begin to reap the benefits from mid-2027’.
The SPS agreement covers regulations on food safety, animal health, plant health and animal welfare products traded between the UK and EU, and will streamline health and safety standards, reducing checks and paperwork at the border, Defra said.
Under the deal, the government has committed UK businesses involved in the production or processing of plants, food, animals and animal products to aligning with EU rules. This applies to domestic producers and those trading with the rest of the world, meaning businesses that do not currently export may also need to adapt their practices.
Start preparing
While negotiations remain ongoing, businesses are being encouraged to take early steps to prepare for the changes ahead.
The government has also published more detail on the scope of the agreement, and which sectors the deal will focus on to help all businesses understand and prepare for what is ahead.
To help preparations, the government has today launched a six-week Call for Information ‘to gather sector-specific intelligence on business readiness needs and help shape detailed business guidance and support measures’. Detailed, sector-specific guidance will be published once negotiations conclude, expected later in 2026.
Defra said the government knows that some businesses require longer to adjust to the new arrangements and will work with them to ensure a smooth transition.
Defra secretary Emma Reynolds said: “We are resetting our relationship with the EU, our closest and largest trading partner, to make trade easier and cheaper, and deliver tangible benefits for British businesses.
“By reducing delays and unnecessary paperwork, this deal will help keep shelves stocked, protect jobs and put downward pressure on food price inflation for families across the country. British businesses deserve better and we will work hand-in-hand with them to ensure this deal is a success.”