The United Kingdom and the European Union have reached a draft agreement to eliminate Brexit-related red tape concerning food exports, a move that the government claims could eventually inject £5.1 billion annually into the UK economy. A 200-page draft of this so-called "SPS" (sanitary and phytosanitary) agreement has been distributed to EU member states in Brussels, where it is slated for consideration at a meeting on Wednesday.
Under the terms of the proposed deal, exports to the EU of various products, including fresh sausages, burgers, shellfish sourced from domestic waters, and seed potatoes, would be permitted to resume. The agreement is also expected to remove several financial burdens for exporters and importers. This includes ending the requirement for £200 Export Health Certificates, which verify that products meet the health standards of the destination country, and £25 Phytosanitary certificates, which confirm plants or plant products are free from pests and diseases.
Further cost reductions could encompass inspector fees, organic certificates, certain port fees, and other checks currently required for trade between the UK and the EU. Additionally, the agreement would reinstate passports for British pets travelling into the EU.
In exchange for these concessions, the UK is anticipated to commit to a process known as "dynamic alignment." This involves observing and adapting to existing EU regulations regarding plant, animal, and food trade standards.
The elements of this agreement had previously been under discussion during Sir Keir Starmer's leadership of the Labour Party. A summit on the matter would have already occurred had Labour not changed its leader in July. Under the current leadership of Andy Burnham, Britain's approach to post-Brexit relations with the EU has seen a notable shift.
While Sir Keir Starmer has stated that the UK would not rejoin the bloc during his lifetime, Andy Burnham has expressed a desire to see Britain return to the EU within his lifetime. In an interview with ITV, Burnham acknowledged that "public opinion has changed nationally" since the 2016 Brexit vote. However, he emphasized that he would "not run ahead of public opinion" on the issue, adding, "The public need to be the boss when it comes to whatever happens with Brexit." Burnham also clarified that he has not proposed the reintroduction of freedom of movement between the UK and the EU.
