The UK government has paused the introduction of post-Brexit border checks on fruit and vegetables as it enters negotiations with the EU on a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement — a move that could ultimately eliminate the need for such checks altogether.
Announced Monday, the delay affects planned inspections on “medium-risk” imports of fresh produce, which have already faced repeated postponements due to fears of significant disruption to supply chains. These checks were originally slated for October 2024, then pushed to July 2025 by the Labour government, and are now effectively postponed until at least January 31, 2027 — if not scrapped entirely in light of the upcoming SPS agreement.
The UK and EU committed to exploring an SPS deal during a recent bilateral summit. If successful, the agreement would align UK standards with EU rules for food, plants, and animals, allowing for a major reduction in border bureaucracy.
Industry leaders welcomed the government’s decision, calling it pragmatic and essential. Many had warned that implementing the checks could add up to £200 million in extra costs, leading to increased food prices.
While SPS checks on meat, dairy, and fish were introduced in April 2024 after long delays, fresh produce inspections remain suspended — and now appear unlikely to be implemented at all if the SPS negotiations succeed.
