Brexit red tape affecting UK food exports to the EU, including fresh sausages and burgers, will be scrapped from mid-2027 in the first confirmed result of Keir Starmer’s “reset” negotiations with Brussels, the government has announced. When the rules come into force, exporters of meat – whether fresh, frozen or processed – will no longer require costly veterinary certificates to prove they meet EU standards.
Nor will they need similar documentation for plants or wood packaging material. Businesses selling into Northern Ireland will no longer require health labels.
While not all details of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal have been finalised, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has published guidance to help producers prepare for the changes. The announcement may also have been designed to demonstrate early progress in the protracted UK-EU reset talks, which have been hampered by disagreements over a youth mobility scheme.
The biosecurity minister, Helene Hayman, said the deal was “great news for British food and drink businesses of all sizes”, including the estimated 16,000 companies that stopped exporting to the EU after Brexit because of excessive bureaucracy. She added: “By cutting unnecessary delays and paperwork at the border, the agreement will make it easier for businesses to sell our world-class produce to European customers, support jobs and help ease pressure on food prices for families.” The changes will cover rules including those on food additives and colourings, animal breeding certificates, pesticides, vaccination residues, organic products and farm feeds.
The government said it expected the deal to “add up to £5.1bn a year to the economy, support British jobs and slash red tape for British farmers, producers and businesses”. It added that it was “working toward a mid-2027 start date for the new agreement and wants businesses in the agri-food sector to start getting ready now”.