Measures to cut the cost and red tape of exporting food and drink to the EU have been welcomed by a dairy.
The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement includes measures designed to support the export of agriproducts such as dairy, fish, eggs and red meat.
London-based Neal’s Yard Dairy – an artisanal cheese-maturer, retailer and wholesaler – sells their award-winning cheeses to customers and retailers across Europe and the world.
Minister for Small Businesses and Exports, Gareth Thomas, visited their Bermondsey branch to meet with Director David Lockwood and his employees.
Gareth Thomas, Minister for Small Businesses and Exports, said:
“The UK’s food and drink sector has huge exporting potential and Neal’s Yard Dairy demonstrates that alongside the right government action, small firms can expand internationally into new and existing markets.
“Through our Trade Strategy, three landmark trade deals and our Small Business Strategy this Government’s Plan for Change is breaking down barriers for exporters to increase trade, create jobs, and grow the economy.”
As part of the substantial package agreed at the first UK-EU Summit in May, the Government has agreed to a new and expansive SPS agreement with the EU.
More than 1,500 UK products are currently affected by SPS measures.
For artisan producers like Neal’s Yard, who often deal in small batches and can’t afford delays due to the perishable nature of cheese, this agreement will be especially beneficial, said the UK Government.
Routine SPS border checks will be eliminated so fresh produce can hit supermarket shelves more quickly, with less paperwork and fewer costs.
Currently, British goods are subject to 100 per cent documentary checks and up to 30 per cent physical checks. The deal will see these removed entirely.
Once agreed, it is expected to add up to £5.1 billion a year to the economy and increase the volume of UK exports of major agricultural commodities to the EU by 16 per cent.
David Lockwood, Director at Neil’s Yard Dairy, said:
“Neal’s Yard Dairy looks forward to the UK and EU implementing the UK-EU ‘reset’ agreement as quickly as possible to allow us to focus our core business: selecting, maturing and selling British cheese both within the UK and overseas.
“The additional requirements for export to the EU post-Brexit have cost our business in many ways. A major impediment is the requirement that our EU bound shipments have health certificates for cheese signed off by official veterinarians; this has doubled the time between customers ordering and receiving goods, a very effective cost inflater and sales killer. The removal of this non-tariff trade barrier is greatly anticipated.”
Beyond the SPS agreement, the Minister and David Lockwood also discussed the Government’s export support offer, which is now accessible in one place through the new Business Growth Service, launched in the Plan for Small Businesses.
As part of the Plan, the Government has also expanded UK Export Finance’s capacity by £20 billion to £80 billion to support more smaller firms win business and increase sales overseas.
In 2024 the food and drink sector in Britain employed 3.8 million people.
