The UK and EU are set to sign a new post-Brexit deal on 20 November 2026, which could "dissolve" £60 million of annual costs for the horticulture industry. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle stated that the removal of border checks and paperwork on plant imports is hoped to ease difficulties for importers.
The sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal, largely agreed in May, is intended to remove the majority of physical checks and most associated certificates and paperwork. These savings, calculated by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), include plant health inspection fees, phytosanitary certificates, and additional labour and haulage costs.
Despite the anticipated benefits, the deal is not expected to be implemented until the first quarter of 2028. This means businesses will continue to face current border arrangements for over a year. Angela Eagle acknowledged that the implementation date is later than the mid-2027 target previously announced.
Provender Nurseries, a large wholesale nursery, has already spent at least £500,000 on a post-Brexit control post that will become obsolete once the deal is implemented. Managing Director Richard McKenna hopes the SPS deal will encourage European suppliers, previously deterred by paperwork, to resume exports to the UK.