EU member states have given the green light for Brussels to begin negotiations with the UK over an agri-food and animal health agreement, which could considerably ease friction on goods moving across the Irish Sea.
At a meeting this morning, member states formally authorised the European Commission to open talks on a common sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area, a move which would reduce checks and controls on agri-food products moving both ways between the EU and UK.
The problem of GB food and plant products, which no longer complied with EU food safety and veterinary rules, entering Northern Ireland was a long standing point of friction in the post-Brexit negotiations between Britain and the European Union.
In a statement, the Council of the EU - which represents member states - said the SPS agreement "would align Great Britain's sanitary and phytosanitary standards with those of the EU, removing the need for most certificates and checks on animals, plants, and related products moving between Great Britain and the EU.
"Through the Windsor Framework, these benefits would also apply to movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, while preserving Northern Ireland's dual access to both the EU single market and the UK internal market."
The promise of an EU-UK veterinary agreement was a key element of the EU-UK summit in May in Windsor, at which both sides pledged to embark on a significant reset of relations.
However, there have been growing tensions over the terms of Britain’s access to the EU's single market for food and agriculture products, as well as over UK access to the €150 billion SAFE programme on boosting defence and the ability for young persons to study and work in both jurisdictions.
According to diplomats, disagreements revolved around how much London would have to pay into the EU budget in order to access the single market, with France in particular pushing for Britain to contribute what other EFTA members, such as Norway and Switzerland, contribute.
Today, the council formally authorised the commission to open negotiations with the UK on an agreement for a common sanitary and phytosanitary area (SPS) and to link greenhouse emissions trading systems (ETS).
Danish European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said: "Last May we agreed with the UK to open a new chapter in our relationship. With today’s decision, we now set out to deliver concrete results. Agreement on these areas will lead to important reductions in the burdens faced by businesses in both the EU and in the UK and will benefit our consumers. We therefore approach negotiations with a hope that they can be finalised swiftly."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media last night, following a call with British prime minister Keir Starmer, that negotiations on an SPS agreement would begin next week.
She said that negotiations would continue on Britain's access to the SAFE programme.
