The Horticultural Trades Association has welcomed confirmation that the UK-EU summit will take place in Brussels on 20 November, hoping it will advance an agreement to cut the costs and red tape facing its member businesses trading plants and plant products.

Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), commented: “We welcome the confirmation of a date for the summit. Our members have dealt with additional costs, delays, and paperwork when trading with the EU for years. An agreement to ease these barriers cannot come soon enough.

“The HTA has long called for a meaningful UK-EU SPS agreement, and we want to see the detail agreed and the benefits delivered as soon as possible. Rebuilding supply chains and restoring trading opportunities will be important for businesses that have lost trade since Brexit.

“It is vital that the details of the agreement work for environmental horticulture. Plant health and biosecurity must remain a priority, and we need clarity on what the agreement will mean for plant protection products and plant variety rights. Businesses need to be involved in these discussions and given clear guidance on any changes.

“We should also be looking at what can be done now to make trading across the border easier, rather than waiting for the agreement to be fully implemented. More work is needed to reduce unnecessary costs and disruption for businesses.

“We want to work with Government and our European counterparts to get this right. The reset needs to deliver real improvements for businesses, helping them rebuild supply chains, trade with confidence and invest in growth.”