FT: EU threatens time-limited deal on UK food exports unless fishing access secured

The European Union is threatening to impose a time limit on a long-sought agreement to ease red tape on British food and drink exports unless it secures long-term access to UK fishing waters.

The so-called veterinary agreement — a top priority for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government — is at risk of being time-bound, a move that is designed to exert maximum leverage on London in negotiations over fishing rights, Caliber.Az reports, citing the recent article by the Financial Times.

Diplomats say the tactic aims to give Brussels maximum leverage as talks intensify over the future of post-Brexit UK-EU relations.

The issue has emerged as one of the last sticking points before both sides meet on May 19 to announce a reset in relations five years after Brexit. While the centrepiece of the expected deal is a new defence and security pact, London is also pushing for a broader economic boost by dismantling barriers that have hampered trade since the UK left the bloc.

British exporters of agricultural products — from cheese to beef — currently face onerous EU checks and inspections due to concerns about regulatory divergence. These trade barriers have particularly impacted Northern Ireland, where checks were introduced on goods travelling from mainland Britain to avoid a hard border on the island.

The UK has argued that a veterinary deal would benefit both sides — and disproportionately help EU exporters — given the UK was the largest market for EU agri-food exports in 2024, accounting for 23 percent of total sales, or €54 billion. In contrast, UK food and drink exports to the bloc amounted to €15.4 billion. But EU officials counter that the UK has more to gain, describing it as the “demander” in the talks.

Business groups in the UK have been urging a resolution. Leading retailers including Marks & Spencer and J Sainsbury wrote an open letter last month calling for both sides to strike an agreement, warning that continued uncertainty threatens supply chains and pricing.

However, any veterinary agreement is likely to come with strings attached — including UK alignment with EU standards and oversight from the European Court of Justice, a politically sensitive issue in Westminster.

Meanwhile, EU diplomats are using the upcoming expiry of post-Brexit fishing arrangements as a bargaining chip. Under the original deal, EU access to UK waters was cut by 25 percent over five years. That access will lapse entirely in June 2026 unless a new deal is reached. Brussels is reportedly seeking a minimum five-year extension to its fishing rights.

A UK official familiar with the negotiations dismissed the idea that any time-limited veterinary agreement would be a final outcome.

“Business needs certainty, and having to renegotiate things every few years doesn’t help,” the official said.

The UK government said it is “not providing a running commentary on our discussions with the EU”, but added: “We are clear that we will always act in the national interest to secure the best outcomes for the UK.”

By Sabina Mammadli