The United Kingdom and the European Union have reached a 200-page draft agreement to remove post-Brexit inspections and paperwork for food and agricultural exports. The draft text for the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement has been circulated to EU member nations in Brussels ahead of a scheduled UK-EU summit on November 20.
The negotiations for this agreement, described by the government as a central part of a "Brexit reset," were initially scheduled to conclude earlier this year. However, the timeline shifted following a change in UK leadership in July, when Prime Minister Andy Burnham replaced Sir Keir Starmer. While Starmer had stated the UK would not rejoin the EU in his lifetime, Burnham has expressed a desire to see the UK return to the bloc eventually, though he stated he would "not run ahead of public opinion" on the matter.
Under the terms of the draft deal, the UK will commit to "dynamic alignment," a process of observing and adapting to existing EU regulations on animal, plant, and food trade standards. This commitment is intended to remove the requirement for Export Health Certificates, which currently cost £200, and Phytosanitary certificates, which cost £25. The agreement also covers similar draft deals on emissions trading, youth travel, and pet passports for British citizens traveling to the EU.
The scale of the reported impact is substantial, with the UK government claiming the economy will eventually see £5.1 billion in annual benefits. For individual businesses, the change will manifest as the removal of specific fees, such as the £200 health certificates and various port and sampling fees. For residents of Northern Ireland, the deal is expected to eliminate "not for the EU" labeling requirements on supermarket goods and radically reduce physical checks at Irish Sea ports. However, implementation is not expected until the first quarter of 2028, as the UK must first pass the European Partnerships Bill to provide a legal mechanism for aligning with EU rules.
The move toward dynamic alignment has drawn criticism from pro-Brexit campaigners who argue it turns the UK into a "rule taker" by requiring it to follow regulations set in Brussels. While business groups like the BCC state that following common rules is a "price worth paying" for market access, the UK will have to manage transitions in areas where it has already diverged, such as the use of certain fungicides and "precision breeding" of plants. Following the meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday, November 4, the draft statement will be finalized for the November 20 summit, where leaders will also discuss the potential for a "Youth Experience Scheme" and student tuition fee discounts.