UK-EU SPS agreement – information for businesses

This page does not constitute legal advice and is provided for general information purposes only.

Overview

On 19 May 2025, the UK government and the European Union (EU) agreed to pursue a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. This, together with the Windsor Framework, will make it easier, cheaper and more predictable for goods to move not just between the UK and the EU, but also within the UK itself, including smoother movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

This agreement covers:

• the trade, production and movement of plants
• animals and their products
• food and feed safety
• broader nutrition-related areas such as food supplements
• fortified foods
• food for specific groups
• nutrition and health claims, and nutrition labelling
• wider agrifood rules related to food labelling
• organics
• key agri-food marketing standards and compositional standards
• regulation of pesticides and biocides

Businesses will save money

Those trading with the EU will benefit from less money spent on complex paperwork at the border. Export Health Certificates, which can cost up to £200 per consignment, will no longer be required. Routine border checks by Port Health Authorities that currently apply to dairy, fish, eggs and red meat imports will be removed, reducing fees, costs associated with queuing and lowering the risk of spoilage.

Trade will flow faster

Fresh produce will reach supermarket shelves more quickly. Supply chains will become more resilient, strengthening food security here and in Europe. For the first time since Brexit, goods will move freely between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

New markets will be unlocked

Trade in products such as fresh sausages and burgers, certain types of shellfish and seed potatoes will resume, opening up the EU market for these goods and supporting British businesses to expand their production. Consumers on both sides of the Channel will have greater access to the high-quality products they value.

You can refer to DEFRA’s official releaseopens www.gov.uk in a new tab from March 2026 for more information including but not limited to:

• who these changes will apply to
• when these changes will apply
• benefits for businesses
• what this means for your business
• what businesses can do now

How businesses can get ready

The EU is our biggest market and closest neighbour, and for too long British businesses trading with them have faced red tape and unnecessary costs. We're negotiating a food trade deal that will deliver frictionless trade with the EU, making it easier, cheaper and quicker for British businesses to export.

The new deal will cut red tape – saving businesses time and money, and opening up opportunities for growth for large and small importers and exporters across the country, putting downward pressure on food price inflation, increasing consumer choice, and helping put British produce back on European tables.

The agreement will come into effect in mid-2027. While the timeline is ambitious, the reward is worth the effort for the scale of benefits we will see. So, now is the time for businesses to take simple steps to start getting ready.

Sign up for Defra email alertsopens preferences.mailshot.defra.gov.uk in a new tab, follow Defra on LinkedInopens www.linkedin.com in a new tab and join our mailing listopens pages.mailshot.defra.gov.uk in a new tab – to receive the latest information on negotiations, implementation timelines, and details of guidance and support available.

Other resources

UK-EU SPS Agreement – Call for Information – Defra – Citizen Spaceopens consult.defra.gov.uk in a new tab

SPS agreement: preparing your business – GOV.UKopens www.gov.uk in a new tab

UK-EU SPS Agreement – Information for Businesses – GOV.UKopens www.gov.uk in a new tab

UK-EU SPS Agreement – Legislation in scope – GOV.UKopens www.gov.uk in a new tab