The UK Government is currently negotiating an SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) agreement with the EU to establish a Common Food Safety Area. This will lead to the removal of routine border checks on food and agricultural products and the associated costs.
The effects of this deal will vary depending on which sectors you farm.
How does EU alignment affect me?
These negotiations aren’t just about international trade, this will affect businesses that only sell their products domestically too.
Some of the main changes we anticipate as a result of alignment include:
- Removal of routine border checks for imports and exports of food and agricultural products between GB and the EU. This includes the removal of Export Health Certificates, Phytosanitary Certificates, Organic Certificates of Inspection, identity check fees, and sampling costs. This will benefit British exporters as well as British farmers and growers who import inputs such as plants for planting from the EU.
- Alignment with the EU animal health frameworks. This will require regular animal health visits by a vet for all animal keepers as well as changes to the way that exotic diseases are managed. Read our explainer (opens in a new tab).
- Alignment with EU rules for plant protection products. This will require compliance with EU residue limits in food and adherence to EU rules governing the marketing and use of PPPs. We anticipate this will result in changes to GB MRLs as well as the Active Substances available to growers in GB and their conditions of use. Read our explainer (opens in a new tab).
- Alignment with EU biocidal product regulation. This will require adherence to EU rules governing the use of biocidal products. Agricultural uses of Creosote (posts, poles, and fencing) are no longer permitted in the EU.
- Alignment with EU organic regulations. This will require organic producers to comply with new EU organic rules which came into effect in 2022. We anticipate this could pose significant challenges for organic poultry producers. Read our explainer (opens in new tab).
Watch now
Navigate through the pages below to watch the webinars most relevant to your business.
You can also read our explainer to find out more about the negotiations and how they affect you.
Watch again: Poultry producers – find out how aligning with the EU will affect you
Watch again: Arable farmers – find out how aligning with the EU will affect you
Watch again: Dairy and livestock producers – find out how aligning with the EU will affect you
Watch again: Horticulture and potato growers – find out how aligning with the EU will affect you