Ministers Positive Response to FPC Lobbying

4 Sept 2024

Ministers Positive Response to FPC Lobbying

Since the change of Government, FPC has been consistently applying pressure to understand the future of EU SPS checks for fruit and vegetables. To this end, we wrote to Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Defra on 7^th July 2024.

FPC asked for clarity on the review of Medium Risk fruit and vegetable products (Annex 11) and adoption of the Authorised Operator Scheme. We also requested an extension for the easement on medium risk fruit and vegetables and AOS roll out to be aligned to 1^st July 2025 to allow industry and wider EU supply chains to effectively prepare.

We received a response on 29^th August 2024 – the details of which can be found in the attached presentation – which was positive on many fronts. The most encouraging of these was relating to the EU medium-risk fruit and vegetable sanitary/phytosanitary easement end date and that an extension to 1 July 2025 is being proposed by Defra.

This consideration to defer the easement until 1 July 2025 is a significant victory if approved. FPC will continue to lobby government on the most appropriate action and timescales to allow industry to prepare, whilst working with our members and EU partners to understand the requirements and the impacts these will have.

We are delighted at FPC that there is a willingness of the new Government to work with industry by delaying this date. We believe that SPS controls are vital to protect plant health and food safety but also recognises that, with the current delays and IT issues, it is imperative that all supply chains are fully prepared for any significant changes.

View Presentation here: FPC BTOM Update Sept 2024