Government announces 2027 rollout for expected SPS deal

The government has announced that an agreement currently under negotiation with the European Union, which will simplify the process of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on imports and exports of food and agricultural products, is expected to take effect in mid-2027.

The deal is set to unburden British food and farming businesses of various administrative aspects of SPS checks – including excessive paperwork, increased costs and unnecessary delays which have proliferated in the wake of Brexit – while presenting fresh opportunities for growth.

It is also expected to simplify and ease problems associated with the checks for road transport operators engaged in the movement of plants, animals and products thereof into and out of the EU.

“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,” said Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary.

“We are talking about real businesses, real employers: the Somerset cheesemaker with export trade halved, the Welsh shellfish trader turning down orders because their catch isn’t fresh by the time the paperwork is done, the Scottish farmer who can no longer sell seed potatoes to customers they’ve supplied for decades.

“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.”

The business and trade secretary Peter Kyle added: “More great British produce will be on European tables thanks to this agreement which will reduce barriers for exporters and create new opportunities for farmers and businesses across all parts of the UK.

“By reducing paperwork for these exports, this deal will ensure our world‑leading food and drink can reach customers all around Europe easier than ever before.”

Logistics UK, which has been consistently calling for a comprehensive agreement on SPS since the Brexit decision was announced, said the announcement was a “significant step to reduce border friction and boost trade”.

Citing the estimated potential of the deal to boost the UK economy by £5.1 billion each year, the trade group said UK businesses were currently being forced to trade “with one hand tied behind their backs” as they deal with the administrative cost and delays caused by Brexit.

“Current SPS requirements add cost and complexity to supply chains with certificates and inspections adding hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to the cost of each load,” said James Mills, head of trade policy at Logistics UK, in a statement released on Monday.

“The progress announced today regarding a new SPS agreement with the EU will be welcomed by businesses of all sizes.

“Fixing the friction at the border and removing unnecessary red tape will give businesses renewed confidence in trading with the EU, and help boost economic growth nationwide, because when the UK trades more easily, it grows.

“It is now essential that negotiations progress as quickly as possible so the new UK-EU SPS agreement can be delivered as expected by mid-2027. We will continue to work with the government to ensure the concerns of our members and the wider industry are heard to ensure a smooth implementation of the new trading regime from day one.”

To aid preparation for the changes, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a six-week call for information to help it understand how it can support affected businesses.

Said DEFRA: “Detailed guidance will be published as negotiations progress to ensure businesses – from farmers and processors to retailers and hauliers – are ready to benefit from day one.”

All interested stakeholders are invited to take part in the call for information, including logistics companies and trade bodies. It closes on 23 April 2026, and can be accessed here.

The House of Commons business and trade select committee heard evidence from the RHA’s policy lead for trade, Alastair Gunn, in January – as well as from Toby Ovens, the owner and managing director of Broughton Transport Solutions, which specialises in delivering refrigerated and frozen meat – about how increased administration at the borders was impacting hauliers’ ability to operate on the continent.

At the session, Mr Gunn welcomed progress that had been made in UK/EU negotiations on SPS processes, which he said could generate more business for RHA members and make it easier for operators like Mr Ovens to run a profitable operation.

“But we also need to see both the European Commission and the UK government understand that there are frictions borne, particularly within the logistics sector, and costs – some of which we do, where we can, pass on to our customers and some of which are simply absorbed by lower margins,” said Mr Gunn.

Mr Ovens described the planned SPS agreement as “light at the end of the tunnel, if we get a date”.

“It is about simple things, like making health certificates,” he explained. “The French could accept an email with a stamp from a vet saying, ‘I have made a mistake. Here is a letter correcting the mistake. You can release the truck’, rather than turning the truck around in Calais, bringing it back to the abattoir to get the new certification done and then sending the truck back. We are all trying to cut our emissions. Sending lorries all the way across the country for a stamp on a piece of paper just does not make sense. Any positive steps that we can take with the SPS agreement would be welcome.”

Asked whether RHA members had “received any Brexit benefits at all”, Alastair Gunn said: “That is a difficult question to answer – I have not asked them all. The evidence is clear that goods movements are down…

“But… for roll-on, roll-off accompanied movements, the trend has been downward for about 25 years. There are deeper issues than the 2016 vote and the terms of the [Trade and Cooperation Agreement].

“We would hope that the reset [of UK/EU relations] or other initiatives can turn that around, but there is a longer-term decline within our sector that we need to get to the bottom of. The answer to your question is probably no.”