The UK and EU have agreed on a 200-page draft Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. The draft was circulated to EU nations in Brussels. The agreement aims to remove post-Brexit checks, certificates, and red tape on food and agricultural exports ahead of a leadership summit.
This deal eliminates costly requirements like Export Health and Phytosanitary certificates, inspector fees, organic certificates, some port fees, sampling fees and other checks for exports and imports to and from the EU and is projected to deliver £5.1bn in annual economic benefits, while allowing the resumption of fresh sausage, burger, shellfish, and seed potato exports alongside UK pet passports.
Under this agreement, the UK will observe and adapt to existing EU regulations on plant, animal, and food trade standards.
The EU government has announced a European Partnerships Bill, which will provide a legal mechanism for applying new EU rules and regulations. This bill will also enable the alignment needed to link the UK emissions trading scheme with the EU’s, saving UK exporters from paying the EU’s new carbon border tax.
Also Read: Indic AI Sector Invests $399 Million in 2026, Sarvam Taking the Lead
The post-Brexit trade deal signed by Boris Johnson’s government prioritised regulatory freedoms for the UK over avoiding new regulatory red tape, checks and delays.
