The UK government has today announced that, to cut red tape and costs for importing and exporting with the EU, the UK will align with most EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) legislation.

The announcement, published today by DEFRA, can be found here.

David Catt, a fruit and vegetable farmer based in Kent, said:

"UK farming exports to the EU are down 34% since Brexit. You've got dairy farmers going out of business on a weekly basis because they can't export because of the red tape. 

"Potatoes are down, peas are down, milk is down, fruit is down - we need to get rid of the extra red tape as soon as possible, so the government aligning with EU rules is an important step towards breathing life back into the UK farming, growing and fishing industries.

"Now the government should rapidly bring forward the legislation necessary to implement this announcement. At the same time, Ministers must urgently finalise the promised deal with the EU. That is key to providing the mutual confidence for vast swathes of Brexit red tape to be removed. This cannot come soon enough."

Dr Mike Galsworthy, Chair of European Movement UK, said:

"This is long overdue. This commitment to aligning laws is welcome in itself but realising the full benefits depends on getting a deal with the EU. That will make it much easier to export and import food products, reducing the red tape that led to lengthy lorry queues at the border. 

"Equally importantly, it can help keep down the cost of the food shop for British families, at a time when higher energy costs threaten to send the cost of living soaring.

“Anyone screaming that this is a Brexit betrayal simply doesn't understand the dire situation our food industry has faced since the UK left the EU, and cut trading ties with its closest partner."