The government appears to have ruled out a transition period to allow businesses to adapt to a new Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU. UK trade bodies including the AIC had called for such a transition period.
Government has responded to the cross-party EFRA Committee’s recommendations for negotiating an SPS agreement which were published in February this year. Negotiations over an SPS agreement to reduce trade barriers between the UK and EU, imposed by Brexit, started in May 2025 and are expected to conclude by 2027.
The EFRA Committee has now published the Government’s response to its report, which it says rejects the Committee’s recommendation to seek a transition period for affected farmers, growers and businesses. Both the AIC and CropLife UK have called for a transition period so that the crop protection sector can adapt to the current divergent regulatory regimes without facing a cliff edge loss of available product.
“The government maintains that the SPS agreement will take effect from mid-2027,” advises the Committee. “It effectively rejects the Committee’s recommendation that a 24-month transition period should be agreed to enable businesses to adapt to new regulations and processes. The response says: ‘We know that some businesses require longer to adjust to the new arrangements and will continue to work with them to ensure a smooth transition.”
EFRA Committee chair Alistair Carmichael MP adds: “It is disappointing that ministers have disagreed with our call to give businesses a transition period to adjust to what could be very disruptive changes coming down the track. With headwinds already howling in their direction, the sector needs all the help it can get.”
Addressing other EFRA Committee recommendations, Defra says it is working with the Food Standards Agency, Home Office, Border Force and others on an action plan to combat illegal meat imports by prioritising resources where they will have the most impact.
Defra has rejected the Committee’s recommendation to pursue a veterinary medicines agreement in tandem with the SPS negotiations. It believes concern over the availability of veterinary medicines should be covered by two schemes launched earlier this year – the Veterinary Medicine Health Situation Scheme and Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme. But Defra is open to working with the EU and other international trading partners on the regulation of veterinary medicines.
The response sees government agree with EFRA’s recommendation that ministers seek a “carve-out” from dynamic alignment on animal welfare regulations, to avoid the UK livestock industry being undercut by products from countries with lower standards.
Turning to precision breeding technologies, government concedes that the future of regulations that could affect future precision breeding in the UK are up for negotiation with the EU. But it says the UK has clearly communicated that it should continue to have its own rules in this field. Defa points to new funding to support the development of genetically modified products such as vitamin D-enriched tomatoes and low-emission fertilisers to demonstrate its resolve.
Since the devolved nations within the UK have different regulations on the sale of precision-bred products which could affect internal trade, government says it will continue to engage with devolved nations in this area.
Government believes the UK should be consulted during EU policy making over regulations for pesticides and levels of naturally occurring mycotoxins in fruit and vegetables. The EFRA Committee had warned that additional regulatory burdens could be placed on growers should the EU in future develop regulations that may not be necessary in UK growing conditions.
“Our report was primarily concerned with ensuring that the government puts its best foot forward in negotiating a new SPS deal with the EU, one that supports our farmers and growers, and we welcome the Government’s positive response to many of our recommendations,” states Mr Carmichael.
“It is reassuring, at least, that DEFRA appears to have belatedly awoken other departments – most importantly the Home Office – to the need for an action plan to reduce illegal meat imports. Ministers must know by now that this is a rapidly growing problem with potentially devastating consequences. Swift action is required.
“Despite the government’s previous enthusiasm to negotiate an additional agreement to improve veterinary medicines access in Northern Ireland, the wording of its response on this point – that Ministers are now merely ‘open to’ a deal – is likely to raise some eyebrows. If the government is now lowering its ambitions in this area that will be a great disappointment to many. They would be well-advised to provide clarity on this point,” concludes Mr Carmichael.