The UK and EU have agreed a draft deal to remove post-Brexit checks on food and agricultural exports, the BBC reports. The 200-page text covers sanitary and phytosanitary standards and will be considered by EU member states on Wednesday.
The agreement eliminates Export Health Certificates (costing £200 each), Phytosanitary certificates (£25), inspector fees, organic certificates, port fees and sampling checks. UK exports of fresh sausages, burgers, shellfish from domestic waters and seed potatoes can resume. Pet passports for travel to the EU will also be permitted.
The UK government estimates the deal will generate £5.1bn in annual economic benefits. The agreement requires the UK to adopt "dynamic alignment" with existing EU rules on plant, animal and food standards, though transition arrangements have been agreed on areas where England has diverged, such as precision breeding of plants.
A separate European Partnerships Bill will provide the legal mechanism to apply new EU regulations. The government says this will also link the UK emissions trading scheme to the EU's, eliminating the need for UK exporters to pay the EU's new carbon border tax.
The draft deals will be discussed at an EU ambassadors meeting on Wednesday. A youth travel and work scheme and emissions trading agreement have also been circulated alongside a 15-page draft joint statement for UK and EU leaders ahead of a summit later this month.
Some pro-Brexit campaigners have criticized the reapplication of EU rules. The British Chamber of Commerce released analysis showing 56% of exporting businesses want EU customs paperwork and delays removed, and is calling on the government to examine options for a closer long-term relationship with the EU.