UK and EU agree draft food trade deal to cut checks

The UK and European Union have agreed draft terms for a food-trade deal that would remove many post-Brexit certificates, inspections and border procedures, but the agreement is not approved or in force. The 200-page sanitary and phytosanitary agreement has been circulated to EU member states ahead of consideration by EU ambassadors on November 4. The Council of the EU must endorse the deal before it can take effect. UK and EU leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels on November 20. The draft would ease requirements for covered food, animal and plant products traded between Great Britain and the EU. It is expected to remove many export health and phytosanitary certificates, inspection fees and routine checks. Once fully implemented, similar relief is envisaged for covered goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Customs declaration systems would remain unchanged, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, or Defra. The UK government estimates that closer alignment could eventually produce £5.1 billion in annual economic benefits. Defra estimates about 500,000 businesses would be affected, including firms selling only within Great...