The government has announced a new deal with the European Union that will suspend the introduction of extra border checks on specific goods imported from the EU.
The new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal established a UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary zone, which slashes red tape for businesses importing and exporting goods from the EU, making food trade between the UK and EU easier and cheaper.
The new agreement will mean that border checks on live animals imported from the EU will no longer be required, and neither will these checks be required on certain plant and animal goods arriving from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The government did note, however, that certain live animals imported from the EU will continue to be inspected at their place of destination based on a series of risk factors, as it continues to protect the country’s biosecurity.
This follows the recent announcement that border checks on EU fruit and vegetable imports have also been scrapped, making the flow of food and related products between the UK and EU smoother and easier.
“Our deal with the EU will boost British businesses as we cut cumbersome bureaucracy and make trading food with our biggest market both cheaper and easier,” said Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman.
“Protecting the UK’s biosecurity is essential, and our partnership with the EU will ensure this while delivering for working people as part of our Plan for Change.”
The government confirmed that it would continue to work with relevant authorities to maintain UK biosecurity while minimising disruption to the flow of goods, adding that the suspension would be reviewed on a rolling basis.
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