Farmers and food firms told to prepare as UK-EU SPS deal advances

Businesses across Northern Ireland are being urged to prepare for sweeping changes to the way food, animals and plants move between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the European Union, as negotiations continue on a new UK-EU trade agreement designed to cut red tape and speed up trade.

The UK Government says the proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement could make agrifood trade “easier, cheaper and quicker”, potentially transforming supply chains for farmers, retailers, processors and hauliers operating across the Irish Sea.

At the heart of the talks is Northern Ireland’s unique position — able to trade goods within both the UK internal market and the EU single market — which ministers say will be protected under the proposals.

The government argues the agreement could help reverse a significant decline in exports. Since 2018, exports of food and agricultural products to the EU have fallen by 22%, representing a drop of almost £4 billion in real terms.

Officials say simplifying trade rules could ease pressure on businesses and help stabilise food prices.

Under the proposed SPS deal, most agri-food goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland would no longer require regulatory certificates, checks or extensive paperwork.

Ministers say that would remove many current administrative requirements, reducing costs and delays for businesses from supermarkets to farms and food manufacturers.

However, the Windsor Framework would remain in place, maintaining Northern Ireland’s dual market access and safeguarding the Good Friday Agreement.

Government says deal would cut costs and red tape

The UK Government says Northern Ireland has been central to negotiations with the EU.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said:

“Ensuring Northern Ireland benefits from this agreement has been a guiding principle of our negotiations.

“This deal will make it easier for businesses to move agri-food goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, cutting unnecessary paperwork and slashing costs.

“At the same time, Northern Ireland will retain its unique dual market – a position unmatched elsewhere in Europe.”

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn described the negotiations as a significant step towards smoother trade.

He said:

“Today marks a significant milestone for Northern Ireland as the UK moves towards an SPS Agreement with the EU. This will make it easier, cheaper and quicker for British businesses to export and import food, animals and plants.

“By removing complex checks and paperwork for the vast majority of this trade, an agreement will reduce costs and red tape for local businesses while fully protecting the integrity of the UK internal market.

“This agreement will not only reinforce Northern Ireland’s unique dual market access, but also ensure that we continue to uphold our commitments under the Good Friday Agreement while securing a better economic future.”

Farming sector sees opportunity

The Ulster Farmers’ Union has welcomed progress in negotiations, saying a comprehensive agreement could deliver long-term certainty for the agri-food sector.

UFU President William Irvine said:

“The UFU welcomes progress on the UK-EU SPS agreement negotiations and the opportunities it presents for the agri-food sector. A huge amount of work has gone in at UFU level over many years to get to this point.

“Many Windsor Framework issues we have been lobbying on can be addressed under a closer UK-EU relationship and it is our hope and desire that this is reflected in any future agreement.

“An agreement on SPS matters between the UK and EU can bring real, long-term certainty for our members and the wider agri-food industry. If a comprehensive agreement is achieved, it will go a long way in freeing up the movement of agri-food goods from GB to NI and ensuring farmers across the UK are on a level playing field.

“However, it is essential that any future agreement is implemented as quickly as possible so that Northern Ireland farmers and food businesses can begin to see the benefits.”

The government is currently working towards a target start date of mid-2027 for the new agreement.

Political criticism over sovereignty concerns

However, the proposals have already drawn sharp criticism from Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister KC MP, who argues the agreement would extend EU influence over UK laws.

Responding to the government announcement, Mr Allister said:

“The Government’s commitment that it will honour Brexit and not seek to take us back into the EU, has been exposed as farcical by today’s announcement on the ‘UK-EU SPS Agreement.

“We voted for Brexit to ‘take back control’.

“The Government is now using the problems of economic divergence within the United Kingdom, between GB and NI, arising from the denial of Brexit in Northern Ireland, to partly justify agreeing to subjecting the whole of the rest of the country to the same EU laws as NI in the extensive field of SPS – that is animal/plant/food legislation, thereby extending the undermining of Brexit in Northern Ireland to the whole UK.

“Adopting this approach in relation to GB, as has already been imposed on NI, further dishonours and disrespects the British people and the biggest democratic act in our history because it makes it absurd, creating a situation whereby rather than taking back control, Great Britain along with Northern Ireland, now finds itself in a place where it has less control over the making of the laws to which it was subject when in the EU.

“Far from creating a context to help make Brexit work, these proposals are clearly designed to undermine the Brexit decision by institutionalising a poisonous self-doubt, double-mindedness that will draw the nation away from its chosen course.

“The Government presents their agreement as an UK – EU SPS Agreement, implying that under the terms of the agreement that the EU will recognize the territorial integrity of the UK; the proposed agreement does no such thing. It is actually a proposed agreement between the EU and GB.  While GB will be subject to the same rules as NI, the NI rules will be applied separately from those in GB, the Irish Sea Border remaining very much in place.

“The government’s statement is profoundly misleading because the proposed SPS Agreement does nothing to remove the Irish Sea customs border that divides our country into two. Even under the SPS Agreement it will be completely impossible for goods to move from GB to NI without an export number, at least a simplified customs certificate and 100% documentary checks in relation to that customs certificate. This will continue to apply both to all non SPS goods and too all SPS goods crossing the international customs border that the EU has imposed upon us. Under the terms of the SPS Agreement, Northern Ireland will continue to be subject to the Customs Code of the EU which continues to declare that the rest of the UK constitutes a third, that is a foreign country, in relation to Northern Ireland.

“So, no one should be fooled by the government’s stance. It is not about recovering sovereignty Northern Ireland, but ceding sovereignty in SPS issues to Brussels for the whole of the UK.

“Moreover, there is no mention of how much the financial contribution to the EU will be to secure such surrender of control.

“In short, this arrangement does nothing to remove NI in over 300 areas of law from foreign jurisdiction, nor does it remove the partitioning Irish Sea border. And, of course, outside of SPS it has no effect.”

Businesses invited to shape preparations

While negotiations continue, the UK Government has launched a six-week Call for Information aimed at understanding how businesses can best be supported ahead of the proposed changes.

Companies are being encouraged to engage with trade bodies and industry associations, review their supply chains and monitor official updates as negotiations progress.

Further detailed guidance will be published as talks develop, with the government saying preparations now will help ensure businesses across Northern Ireland — from farmers and food processors to retailers and logistics firms — are ready to benefit from the agreement from the first day it comes into force.

At a glance

• The UK Government is negotiating a new UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement focused on easing agrifood trade.

• The deal aims to simplify the movement of food, plants and animals between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU.

• Ministers say most agri-food goods moving from GB to NI could no longer require regulatory certificates, checks or extensive paperwork.

• The Windsor Framework would remain in place, preserving Northern Ireland’s ability to trade within both the UK and EU markets.

• Exports of food and agricultural products to the EU have fallen by 22% since 2018, representing a £4 billion drop in real terms.

• The Ulster Farmers’ Union says a comprehensive agreement could bring long-term certainty for farmers and the agri-food sector.

• The government is working towards a potential start date of mid-2027 and has launched a six-week consultation to help businesses prepare.