The UK and European Union (EU) have sealed a major new deal that includes a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement designed to reduce administrative burdens and increase trade between the two economies.
According to a 19 May statement from the UK government, the creation of a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone will see the end of routine checks on UK agri-food products.
Routine checks on specific imports from the EU – items including eggs, milk, potatoes and red meat – are to be axed, too, while bans on British products such as fresh burgers and sausages will be lifted.
In addition, the agreement scraps certain types of paperwork, including export health certificates, plant health certificates and certificates of inspection for organic products, which the UK government says will save businesses time and money.
The EU, a political and economic union made up of 27 countries, will also benefit from the extension of a controversial fishing deal, giving EU boats another 12 years of access to UK waters.
The agreement is not restricted to agri-food products. "British steel exports are protected from new EU rules and restrictive tariffs, through a bespoke arrangement for the UK that will save UK steel £25mn per year," the UK government says.
Other areas covered by the package include youth and educational mobility, energy and law enforcement. The UK government claims that the SPS agreement and a move to link the EU and UK's emissions trading systems will add almost £9bn to the UK economy by 2040.
Disappointment and optimism
The EU is the UK's biggest trading partner, but UK exports to the bloc have fallen by 21% and imports have dropped 7% since Brexit, the government says. Reaction to the new agreement, which was reached following six months of negotiations, has been mixed.
The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, for instance, says it is "very disappointed" with the deal and "its impact on fishermen and their communities."
"Giving the EU 12 years of guaranteed access to UK waters up to the six-mile inshore limit gives away the best card that we still had in our hand in fisheries discussions with Europe," it adds.
By contrast, the chief executive of trade body Salmon Scotland argues that the deal "will slash red tape and speed up the delivery" of salmon.
"This breakthrough eases the burden on our farmers, processors and the communities they support, and we welcome efforts to implement it at pace," says Travis Scott.
"The withdrawal of physical checks is particularly welcome. It means lower costs and quicker deliveries for our customers."
Others commenting on the deal include Tina McKenzie, policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses. "This agreement marks genuine progress by untangling the rules for small exporters of plant and animal products," she says.
"If British goods can reach European markets with fewer setbacks, that marks real progress." Acknowledging that the agreement doesn't solve all challenges, McKenzie states that it "sets a very welcome new tone."
"International trade is so valuable – firms selling to overseas markets grow faster and are more likely to weather tough times," she adds.
From the EU side, the European Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen, is bullish about the agreement's potential, stating that new arrangements related to agri-food products "means more certainty and more stability for our farmers, food producers and fishermen and fisherwomen on both sides of the Channel."
The UK government says talks with the EU on details of each commitment will continue.