Border checks on fruit and vegetables from EU scrapped, government announces

After Brexit, additional checks and requirements were introduced on certain animal and plant products being imported from Europe from January 2024.

This saw trade between the UK and its biggest partner, the EU, drop significantly.

On 1 July, these were also due to be introduced on fruit and vegetables from the EU, which were classed as “medium risk”.

This would have likely seen the price of tomatoes, grapes, plums, cherries, peaches and peppers increase.

However, the Government has now announced these checks on fruit and vegetables will be delayed until January 2027.

At this point it is expected that the SPS agreement will remove them completely.

Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman confirmed this yesterday, saying: “This government’s EU deal will make food cheaper, slash bureaucracy and remove cumbersome border controls for businesses.

“A strengthened, forward-looking partnership with the European Union will deliver for working people as part of our plan for change.”

However, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that the checks would still be in place for animal and plant products until the SPS agreement is negotiated.

Goods from Britain have faced EU controls since it left the bloc’s single market at the start of 2021, but the UK repeatedly put off checks in the other direction.

The new border model was delayed five times due to inflationary fears, but finally started being implemented last year.

This hugely complicated trade between the UK and EU, resulting in a 16 per cent drop every year in UK food exports to EU countries since the end of the Brexit transition period, a report by the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy found.

The SPS agreement was one of Sir Keir’s biggest wins in his “reset” with the EU, which was announced at a major summit last month.

It will see some routine checks on plant and animal products being removed completely and British burgers and sausages will once more be allowed into the EU.

This does require “dynamic alignment” - the UK following rules set by Brussels - however a deal to reduce red tape is something that farming and business groups have been calling for for years.

National Farmers’ Union President Tom Bradshaw said: “We have always sought a strong trading relationship with the EU which reduces friction at a time of global instability.

“But, since 2020, farming and growing businesses have been faced with significant costs, burdensome paperwork and additional checks in order to trade with partners on the continent.

“The government has clearly listened to these concerns. With the scope to remove Export Health Certificates and cumbersome controls at the border, this deal will deliver many benefits for agri-food exports to the EU.”