Responding to this week's publication of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee report, ‘UK-EU trade: Towards an SPS agreement’, Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Horticultural Trades Association, said:

“The Horticultural Trades Association welcomes the EFRA Committee’s report, which reinforces the urgent need for a pragmatic and growth-focused SPS agreement. For our members, the status quo is a significant barrier to growth; half of the £1.2bn plants and trees sold annually in the UK are imported from the EU, and current border frictions add immense cost and complexity to these vital supply chains.

“The Committee’s recognition that this complex is absolutely right, and we support the calls for a ‘carve out’ for Precision Breeding and caution over regulatory alignment on Plant Protection Products (PPPs) as examples. The UK is a leader in this field, and it is vital that our innovative horticultural sector is not held back by slower regulatory alignment. We echo the call for a managed implementation period for any changes to PPP availability to ensure our members have what they need to maintain crop health and business viability.

“However, where the Committee suggests a need for an implementation period for the deal as a whole, we must be clear that, for plant health, action can and should be taken now. We restate our clear asks for immediate easements to remove unnecessary burdens and barriers that continue to hamper our sector. Furthermore, we make a new and urgent call on the Government to support environmental horticulture businesses, particularly those who have made significant, costly investments in infrastructure and systems to manage the current border model. By securing a pragmatic approach to future regulations, the Government can unlock the full potential of a sector that is vital to the UK’s economy and its environmental goals.”