The UK and EU announced this week that they may establish a common sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area, which would effectively eliminate the need for border controls on agrifoods traded between the two. If fully implemented, it would mean a dynamic alignment of the UK with current EU SPS and other standards. This would entail the removal of Export Health Certificates, the removal of Plant Health Certificates, removal of Certificates of Inspection for organic products. Routine border checks on agri-food products would stop. Routine checks on certain imports from the EU for plants for planting and potatoes. Moving goods between GB and Northern Ireland will be easier due to the removal of SPS and other requirements.
Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, has welcomed signs of progress in the long-awaited EU reset talks but warns that a lack of detail could mean fresh produce businesses are caught again in the crossfire of another avoidable regulatory crisis. The FPC has stood out as a relentless advocate for industry interests, offering practical, evidence-based solutions to government that would enhance food safety without crippling businesses. They have raised serious concerns over a lack of clarity and timing, warning that this step forward for EU trade may represent two steps back for UK food security and global sourcing.
"This could have been avoided if the original FPC UK/EU border solutions had been adopted instead of the ineffective and unaffordable solutions implemented by the previous government," explained Jenney. "There is no timeline for when the SPS agreement will be implemented. Therefore, current EU/UK controls remain in place, while the 1 July BTOM easement expires, meaning specific EU fruit and vegetable imports will be subject to UK border controls."
Dynamic alignment suggests EU rules will also apply to UK imports of fresh produce sourced from around the world, significantly increasing UK border checks and costs for these goods. For example, citrus from South Africa would be subject to 100% inspections; at the moment, there are none. Citrus from the US would be 75%, while Egypt will be subject to 50% inspections. Other products such as avocados, pineapples, and mangoes will also be subject to stricter checks. 50% of the UK's fresh produce imports come from the EU, but the other 50% are sourced globally.
The FPC is urgently calling on the UK government to provide a clear timetable for the new SPS agreement, including when it will be finalised and applied, also for the extension of the 1 July 2025 BTOM implementation deadline for EU fruit and vegetables until the agreement is in place — or ensure that industry Control Points are fully staffed with official inspectors 24/7 and/or Authorised Operator Status is adopted simultaneously.
"After years of engagement with UK government departments, it is deeply frustrating that we seem no further forward in securing a system that actually meets the needs of our industry and consumers," added Jenney. "It seems that those in the industry who have been proactive in preparing for the border inspection have been penalised, while those who have done nothing can just wait for the agreement to come into force."
Mike Parr, CEO UK & Ireland, PLM Seafrigo, called the EU reset 'The biggest U-turn to date'
"Yesterday's EU reset announcement makes a mockery of the last nine years. During this period, businesses in the supply chain associated with the fresh produce industry have put a huge amount of time, effort, not to mention significant financial investment to establish appropriate protocols within the new Brexit trading landscape.
"Producers, logistics suppliers, industry stakeholders, and government representatives attended countless meetings to work towards a solution that would allow a fair and seamless transfer of produce into and out of the UK. Many companies, including PML Seafrigo, have worked tirelessly to try and remain ahead of the curve and to be "Brexit fit". In our case, we went as far as investing in a transport and logistics hub with remote HMRC / Defra-approved Border Control Post status to enable a faster transit of consignments out of the Port of Dover. Just two weeks ago, discussions were held regarding the much-anticipated plant health border checks, due to commence on 1st July. Baroness Hayman insisted there was to be no easement on the deadline and that the new required checks would be rolled out – this despite the issues the industry has repeatedly flagged concerning Sevington's inability to cope with the required level of inspections. We are now faced with the biggest U-turn of them all. And true to form, without any firm guidance to those affected most. There are no specific timings on when the new SPS protocol will start, which will cause further bedlam at the border. In the absence of clear guidance, do we default to the original BTOM plans due to come into effect on 1st July, or are we able to kickstart the Authorised Operator Status scheme?"
Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the BPA, said: "This agreement means that many new border control posts that were built at a cost of over £120 million to industry to manage checks that never fully materialised are now likely to become obsolete. Government should cover the full costs of these white elephants and put this episode behind us."
Portsmouth International Port, owned by Portsmouth City Council, is among those calling for urgent clarity. The council invested £6 million of its own funds, on top of government grants, to construct a highly specialised facility for post-Brexit inspections.
Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "We have repeatedly asked for a clear direction on the future of the border control posts. Ours is a significant piece of infrastructure that takes up two acres of operational land and has meant a loss of commercial opportunity for the port. This specialist facility cost over £23 million to build, and its future is now uncertain."