by Holly Chapman | 28 Jan 26 | News, Sustainability
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has launched a new call to back British environmental horticulture to secure a new trading relationship with the EU.
Wanting to see a deal with early easements ahead of an expected 2027 deadline to stop the costs, delays and damage that its members are experiencing every week as they move plants, seeds, bulbs and trees, the HTA make a clear call for a swift delivery of agreement in negotiating a new a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) arrangement in 2026.
The HTA also asks for action in supporting the preparedness of businesses for the future opportunity and to mitigate the cost hit to those small businesses who have invested in infrastructure and systems.
Jennifer Pheasey, director of policy and public affairs at the HTA explains “January 2026 marks five years since UK environmental horticulture became the first and hardest hit sector with trade barriers raised and supply chains disrupted.” She adds:
“We hope 2026 is the year in which we see the UK-EU reset deliver a swift conclusion of negotiations on plant health arrangements. Whilst we recognise this is complex and time is needed to get the legal aspects ready and for systems and businesses to adapt and change, with 2027 the publicly stated ambition, we call for early easements to be forthcoming.”
The HTA will be encouraging this call in EU trade for the UK and horticulture at IPM Essen.
On 5 February, the HTA responds to the publication of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee report, ‘UK-EU trade: Towards an SPS agreement’. Pheasey comments:
“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.”
by Holly Chapman | 19 Nov 25 | News
The European Council announced the European Commission has been authorised to open negotiations with the UK on an agreement for a common sanitary and phytosanitary area (SPS).
The aim of the SPS agreement is to reduce the burden of trading agricultural products between the EU and the UK by aligning sanitary and phytosanitary rules.
A formal announcement from the Council means negotiations can kick off between the UK and the EU, which will result in creating an agreement as swiftly as possible.
The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) welcomed the announcement, alongside Union Fleurs and European Nurserystock Association (ENA).
“We wholly support and ask for the UK-EU SPS agreement to be concluded and implemented as soon as possible. In the meantime, we seek action and pragmatism at the border to restore confidence and alleviate the significant costs facing many of our members,” says Jennifer Pheasey, director of policy and public affairs at the HTA.
Fran Barnes, chief executive of the HTA also comments:
“The government response arrives at a time when delays, damage, and costs are piling up for the plant sector at UK borders, including at Sevington Border Control Point. We’re disappointed by the rejection of our constructive proposal to utilise the ‘POD’ system for at-destination checks as a pragmatic and cost-effective solution.”
Craig Marshall, director at Evergreen Exterior Services says “the EU-UK SPS agreement is long overdue,” adding:
“Since Brexit, the horticultural supply chain has been hampered by unnecessary delays, inconsistent inspections and avoidable costs — all without delivering any measurable improvement in plant-health outcomes.
“An aligned SPS framework could remove many of these barriers and finally bring back the smooth, predictable movement of plants that the industry desperately needs.”
Andy Johnson, managing director at Wyevale Nurseries also comments on the announcement:
“Whilst the announcement is a positive step in the right direction, we need to be clear that this is a long process with the potential for many twists and turns along the way. If we could revert to a level playing field of equivalence with the necessary import checks and controls it would ease the friction, costs and losses associated with the current BTOM.
“The real issues with the current arrangements are the associated rising costs, unpredictable delays, and damaged loads on arrival, all of which are escalating rapidly and disrupting supply chains. This continues to do significant damage to the plant supply chains on which we all depend and have weakened biosecurity due to inconsistent delivery of inspection regimes in process.”
He finishes with, “we need prompt and pragmatic action” in the meantime.
