UK-EU Trade Agreement Would Harmonize Certain Food Safety Rules by Mid-2027
The UK government has announced progress toward a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU that will affect food safety regulations, agri-food trade, and compliance requirements for businesses across the UK food supply chain.
According to the UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), the agreement, which has been pursued jointly by the UK and EU since May 2025, is intended to simplify the movement of agri-food products between the two regions, as well as between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The agreement is expected to take effect in mid-2027.
Food Safety and Regulatory Alignment
The proposed SPS agreement will cover multiple regulatory areas related to food safety and agri-food production. These include:
- Food and feed safety regulations
- Hygiene requirements and food law
- Food additives and food-contact materials
- Pesticide and veterinary medicine maximum residue limits
- Labeling, marketing standards, and compositional standards
- Regulations that affect organics, nutrition claims, and fortified foods.
Defra said UK businesses will be required to align with relevant EU rules within the scope of the agreement, regardless of whether they export to the EU or sell only to the UK market.
Food, feed, and beverage businesses may need to modify processing methods, certification practices, labeling, and information technology (IT) systems to meet the updated regulatory framework.
Changes to Border Controls and Certification
The agreement is expected to reduce some border requirements for food products traded between the UK and EU. Defra stated that Export Health Certificates (EHCs), which can cost up to £200 per consignment, would no longer be required for shipments covered by the agreement.
Routine border checks currently applied to certain imported foods, including dairy, fish, eggs, and red meat, are also expected to be removed for EU imports.
However, routine inspections at EU Border Control Posts (BCPs) will continue for imports from non-EU countries, and the UK government indicated that inspection rates for some commodities from other international jurisdictions could increase to align with EU import controls.
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Call for Information Open
Defra said detailed guidance for businesses will be released beginning in May 2026. The agency also launched a Call for Information, which closes on April 23, to gather feedback from industry on the expected impacts of the SPS agreement and the types of guidance businesses will need to prepare for the regulatory changes.
Businesses across the agri-food sector—including food manufacturers, processors, retailers, importers, exporters, and logistics providers—are encouraged to begin preparing for compliance ahead of the anticipated 2027 implementation.
