IMTA Position on Potential Veterinary or SPS Agreement between UK and EU

Following extensive consultation with members, IMTA has arrived at this position on a Potential Veterinary or SPS Agreement between UK and EU:

The UK should seek to make trade with the EU easier through a bespoke agreement on veterinary issues which removes some of the current SPS barriers to import and export. A bespoke SPS agreement could include reducing or eliminating the need for veterinary checks and certification on trade with the EU. The agreement should not be based on an existing model and should account for the UK’s regulatory starting point as a former EU member state and the close commercial ties between UK and EU; while maintaining the UK’s regulatory independence on its import regime and food regulation. The UK should work in accordance with international standard setting organisations like WOAH and the WTO. 

Strategy Director Katrina Walsh commented “Despite IMTA being in favour of an agreement, we know these types of talks often take many years to be concluded and for any agreement enter into force. Therefore, we cannot wait for issues currently being experienced on both import and export with the EU, to be resolved by an SPS agreement, we must see improvement in the meantime. We have written to ministers underlining this point.”