The UK poultry industry is being urged to prepare for major trading changes as negotiations on a new UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement move closer to a formal deal.
Defra says businesses should begin planning now, warning that the proposed agreement could bring significant changes for agri-food exporters, even before final terms are confirmed.
In updated guidance, the department said: “We want every business in the agri-food sector to start getting ready now. This includes those that do not currently trade with the EU.”
For poultry producers, processors and breeders, the biggest potential benefit is a sharp reduction in trade friction. The Government says Export Health Certificates “will no longer be required”, while “routine border checks… will be removed”, cutting costs and reducing delays for poultry meat, hatching eggs and live bird movements.
That could provide welcome relief for businesses that have faced higher veterinary certification costs and disruption to time-sensitive exports since Brexit.
The proposed deal is expected to create what ministers describe as “a common SPS area”, designed to “significantly reduce barriers to trade in relation to movements of agri-food goods.”
However, poultry businesses may also need to prepare for changes to regulations where the UK has diverged from EU rules. Defra has warned that while some businesses will see “minimal” impact, others “may need to make changes.”
Animal welfare remains a key issue for the sector. The Government has confirmed it will seek “specific exemptions from dynamic alignment with the EU on animal welfare standards,” potentially preserving UK flexibility on future poultry housing and welfare reforms.
Biosecurity is also expected to remain under close scrutiny. Ministers have stressed that “the UK’s biosecurity and public health is a top priority,” amid wider industry concern over disease risks, including avian influenza.
Although the Government has rejected calls for a formal transition period, it has confirmed the agreement is expected to take effect from mid-2027.