The UK government has announced that Brexit rules affecting food exports to the European Union will be scrapped from mid-2027, marking the first confirmed outcome of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's "reset" negotiations with Brussels. The agreement will eliminate costly veterinary certificates for meat exports—whether fresh, frozen, or processed—as well as similar documentation for plants and wood packaging material. Businesses selling into Northern Ireland will no longer require health labels.
Details of the sanitary and phytosanitary deal
While not all aspects of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement have been finalised, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published guidance to help producers prepare for the changes. The deal is expected to cover rules on food additives, colourings, animal breeding certificates, pesticides, vaccination residues, organic products, and farm feeds.
The government estimates the agreement could add up to £5.1 billion annually to the economy, support British jobs, and reduce red tape for farmers, producers, and businesses. It is working toward a mid-2027 start date and urges the agri-food sector to begin preparations now.
Background and impact
Health certificates, costing up to £200 per consignment, were not required before the UK left the EU in 2020 but have since created significant bureaucratic burdens. Toby Ovens, managing director of Broughton Transport Solutions, told a parliamentary committee in January that his company now needs 26 sheets of paperwork instead of just one before Brexit to prove beef meets EU standards. He described instances where lorries carrying frozen beef were detained for up to a month due to incorrect documents, and a British vet chasing a lorry down the motorway to issue replacement certificates after French officials rejected forms confirming the cargo was free of mad cow disease.
The announcement is also seen as a demonstration of early progress in the protracted UK-EU reset talks, which have been hampered by disagreements over a youth mobility scheme. Negotiations have been ongoing since late last year and are expected to conclude before the next EU-UK summit, scheduled for 13 July.
Biosecurity Minister Sue Hayman called the deal "great news for British food and drink businesses of all sizes," including the estimated 16,000 companies that stopped exporting to the EU after Brexit due to excessive bureaucracy. She added that the agreement will "cut unnecessary delays and paperwork at the border, make it easier for businesses to sell our world-class produce to European customers, support jobs, and help ease pressure on food prices for families."
Lady Hayman emphasised that the government is "working hand in hand with food and farming businesses up and down the country to make the most of this opportunity" and wants every British producer, whether currently trading with the EU or not, to be ready to seize the benefits.
