The UK government has announced plans to remove a range of trade barriers affecting the movement of plants, animals and food products between the UK and the European Union (EU) from around mid-2027.

The proposed changes form part of a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement currently being negotiated with the EU and have been widely welcomed by businesses and trade organisations.

SPS checks were introduced following the UK’s departure from the EU to ensure that imported and exported agrifood products met the relevant regulatory standards. These requirements later expanded to include imports arriving into the UK from the EU, creating additional administrative processes and costs for traders.

Under the proposed agreement, many agri-food products are expected to move between the UK and EU without the need for additional certification, specialist labelling or routine inspections. The arrangements will also apply to goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland, helping to streamline trade across the UK.

The agreement is expected to cover a wide range of areas, including food safety and hygiene, animal and plant health, feed products, genetically modified organisms, pesticides, veterinary medicines, food additives, organic products and consumer information requirements.

The changes could also reopen trade in several products that have previously faced restrictions, including fresh sausages and burgers, certain shellfish products and seed potatoes.

Caledonian Freight will be monitoring developments closely and keeping customers informed of any significant updates. In the meantime, our experienced team is available to assist with any European transport or customs-related challenges you may face. Therefore, please do not hesitate to contact us.