We’re proud to have secured a common-sense solution that protects our diverse and critical industry
The UK government has delayed planned Brexit border checks on fruit and vegetables as it negotiates a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU. The deal, agreed in principle at a UK-EU summit last month, would eliminate the need for border checks on plant and animal products entirely.
Although the agreement will take months to finalize, the government announced Monday that it would postpone the next phase of checks on “medium risk” fresh produce imports. Previously scheduled for July 2025, the checks are now delayed until January 31, 2027 — by which point they may be scrapped altogether.
Industry figures welcomed the move, citing potential cost savings of £200 million. “This Government’s EU deal will make food cheaper, slash bureaucracy and remove cumbersome border controls for businesses,” said Biosecurity Minister Helene Hayman.
Nigel Jenney, CEO of the Fresh Produce Consortium, called the delay “a common-sense solution that protects our diverse and critical industry.”