An early-stage UK-EU deal may do away with post-Brexit checks on food and agriculture exports.
The existing Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement is being called into question. This deal aims to remove:
- Inspector fees
- Organic certificates
- Some port fees, sampling fees and other checks for imports and exports between the UK and EU
Separate deals on emissions trading along with a youth travel and work scheme are also up for discussion.
What it means for businesses
The government says that the agreement will lead to an eventual £5.1 billion per year for the UK economy.
Northern Ireland’s economy, in particular, would benefit from these measures. Though they’re still in the single market, checks are still required when importing goods from other parts of the UK, which would be scrapped under the proposed agreement.
The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) head of trade policy, William Bain, told the BBC’s Today programme that businesses generally thought that these measures are a net positive, leading to ‘lower costs, reduced delays [and] increased market access.’
He also said that, as it stands, Export Health Certificates can add thousands of pounds to each load of goods, as well as additional border delays. Unfortunately, export levels have lowered as a result.
A new report from the British Chamber of Commerce concludes that the UK-EU relationship fundamentally needs to change. Of the 1,000 businesses surveyed, many are struggling with ‘a thicket of Brexit red tape which is in perpetual motion.’
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Prime Minister of ‘unpicking’ the deal signed with the EU.
Read more about exporting
A step-by-step guide to shipping and exporting goods – Before you start exporting, take these factors into account, step-by-step