The United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed a draft deal that would remove post-Brexit checks on food and agriculture exports. The agreement comes ahead of a UK-EU summit later this month, and it is described as the most significant part of the so-called Brexit reset agreed so far.
According to the BBC, the roughly 200-page draft sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement has been circulated to EU member states. Separate draft texts on linking emissions trading systems and a youth travel and work scheme have also been circulated, along with a 15-page draft joint statement.
If adopted, the deal would remove routine physical border checks and much of the costly paperwork that exporters currently face. That includes £200 export health certificates, £25 phytosanitary certificates, inspector fees, organic certification costs, and some port and sampling fees.
UK exports of fresh sausages, burgers, shellfish from domestic waters and seed potatoes would be able to resume. Pet passports for UK pets taken into the EU would also return.
Under the deal, the UK would commit to observing and adapting to existing EU regulations on plant, animal and food trade standards, an arrangement known as dynamic alignment. The UK government estimates eventual annual economic benefits of £5.1 billion.
It is important to stress that this is a draft agreement, not yet a final deal.
Source: BBC
