The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has set out ten priorities for UK food and drink manufacturers for the new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU.
With food exports to the EU falling a quarter (23.4%) since Brexit, when compared with the five years prior to Brexit. FDF said that removing the additional cost and complexities food manufacturers have faced when trading products with the EU since its exit in 2021 will “benefit the sector” by removing certificates and checks at borders.
However, FDF said achieving this will require alignment with the EU across more than 100 areas of food safety regulation – a significant shift in UK policy, which comes with risks and potential unintended consequences for the nation’s food and drink manufacturers.
“The scale of the coming challenge for Government is huge but we stand ready to work closely with them.”
For example, where the UK has adopted different policies to the EU on pesticides in recent years, a recent report showed that aligning to EU regulations without sufficient transition periods could cost UK businesses up to £810 million. Additionally, Swiss businesses had 24 months to adapt to similar changes as part of its arrangement with the EU, while the UK plans to implement these changes by 2027.
Karen Betts, FDF chief executive, commented: “Europe is our biggest trading partner for food and drink, so getting the detail of the SPS agreement right couldn’t be more important. First and foremost, businesses need to know what to do by when, and how long will they have to comply. Early clarity on regulatory changes, allowing sufficient transition periods, and ensuring our voice is heard for decisions that will impact UK businesses in the future are non-negotiable to protect the competitiveness and long-term resilience of our sector.
“The scale of the coming challenge for Government is huge but we stand ready to work closely with them to ensure this deal delivers for the UK, by removing barriers to trade and helping to recover lost ground on our exports to Europe.”
To mitigate against risks FDF has outlined ten priorities that it said Government “must act on” to protect the competitiveness and resilience of the nation’s food and drink supply chain:
- Early and transparent communication with businesses
- Communicate changes with global suppliers
- “If we can change the rules now to make things easier for businesses, then we should”
- Ensure that the UK has a voice in EU decision making
- Allow sufficient transition periods for companies to adjust
- Retaining control over national legislation in specified areas
- Prepare for future supply chain disruptions
- Plan for the removal of ‘Not for EU’ labelling
- Monitor future EU policy development
- Provide the right support for businesses to make the most of the new agreement
