Efra calls for phased approach to EU SPS agreement

Rushing through a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU could have major consequences for British farmers and should be pursued with caution, MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee have warned. 

The government appears to be moving at pace to secure such a deal, with the Cabinet Office expecting negotiations to conclude and be implemented early next year.

But at a Westminster Hall debate on Thursday 12 February), Efra committee chairman Alistair Carmichae said:

“It is very important that we get this right, and you can get it right by doing it slowly and carefully. A workable SPS agreement will require careful, phased implementation.”

See also: Dairy resilience and EU trade debated at FW Question Time

He added: “A well-designed agreement could ease trade, reduce costs and strengthen ties with our largest trading partner, but the risks are also significant.

“Poorly managed alignment could burden farmers, erode trust, undermine innovation and weaken the UK’s ability to act on its own scientific evidence.”

Implementation period

A recent Efra committee report, UK-EU agritrade: Making an SPS agreement work, recommended the government secures an implementation period of at least two years for businesses to make necessary adjustments.

It also called on government to provide a clear transition timetable for moving to a common SPS area, published with key milestones at least 12–24 months in advance.

A number of threats of rushing a deal have been raised by the Efra committee, including potential restrictions on plant protection products and additional burdens on UK farmers.

Labour MP Jayne Kirkham called the SPS agreement a really positive development and suggested it would be “impressively quick” if the suggested timescales are achieved, but agreed this could also bring risks.

Ms Kirkham added that it was important to not only maintain higher welfare standards, but ensure that UK farmers were not undercut by lower welfare imports.

Sir Alistair added: “Leaving ourselves open to the import of food produced to lower standards than we expect of our farmers would be absolute madness.

“While a cliff-edge implementation would apparently result in the loss of £810m, a lengthy implementation period would allow us the opportunity to smooth out any wrinkles that we might inadvertently have agreed to.”

Ongoing EU discussions

Defra secretary Emma Reynolds visited Paris this week to meet French delegates and discuss the SPS agreement.

In an address at the British Ambassador’s Residence, Ms Reynolds said exports of British farm products to the EU had dropped by a fifth in the five years since Brexit.

She said an SPS agreement would change this and make trade faster, easier, and cheaper.

“Businesses large and small will benefit from less time and money spent on complex paperwork at the border,” added Ms Reynolds.

“Frictionless trade, efficient borders, open supply chains – these directly support farmer incomes, consumer prices, and shared resilience.”