FUW warns clarity and safeguards needed as UK–EU SPS talks progress
In their recent submission to DEFRA’s Call for Information on the UK-EU SPS Agreement, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has reiterated its strong principle that the UK Government should seek a long-term arrangement with the EU that maintains simple, tariff-free access to the Single Market.
The UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement Call for Information, launched by Defra in March 2026 was a six-week consultation seeking evidence and views from businesses and stakeholders across the agri-food sector to inform the government’s approach to implementing a new SPS trade deal with the EU. It aimed to gather practical insight on how the proposed agreement - covering areas such as animal and plant health, food and feed safety, labelling, and pesticide regulation - would affect organisations, including the costs, benefits, and any required changes to operations.
The FUW’s submission highlighted the importance of the EU market to Welsh agriculture, noting that Welsh food and drink exports were valued at £813 million in 2023, with approximately 75% destined for EU countries. Key dependencies include around a third of Welsh lamb exports, 90% of beef exports, and 95% of dairy exports, alongside significant reliance on EU imports of agricultural inputs.
While recognising the potential economic benefits of a more streamlined trading relationship, the FUW raised a number of concerns regarding the proposed SPS framework. These include the implications of regulatory divergence, animal health and welfare standards, antimicrobial and organic regulations, bovine tuberculosis vaccination policy, food labelling requirements, and the status of precision-bred organisms. Questions were also raised around the scope of animal identification and surveillance systems, including bovine EID tagging.
The FUW also stressed the need for clarity on how any agreement would be assessed, implemented, and reviewed. In particular, it called for full economic impact assessments prior to final agreement, clearer understanding of legislative and ratification processes, and transparency on how regulatory alignment or divergence would affect Welsh producers in practice.
The Union further urged the UK Government to engage not only with devolved administrations but also directly with industry stakeholders across all devolved nations, ensuring that any agreement supports UK-wide agri-food and environmental objectives and reflects practical operational realities for food and farming businesses.
Commenting following their submission, Alan Gardner, Chair of the FUW’s Rural Affairs Committee said: “While an SPS agreement could bring benefits in reducing friction and restoring smoother trade with the EU, it is essential that Welsh farmers are not placed at a disadvantage through unintended consequences or a loss of influence over future standards. Clarity, transparency, and meaningful engagement with the industry are critical if this agreement is to work for agriculture in Wales and across the UK.
"Ultimately, achieving a stable, transparent and frictionless trading environment remains essential to the long-term sustainability of Welsh agriculture and our rural economies.”
The FUW also reiterated its support for stronger cooperation between the UK and EU on biosecurity and enforcement measures to combat the illegal movement of meat and food products.
The FUW’s full submission can be found here.
