Guidance

Genetic technologies: preparing your business

Updated 28 May 2026

Reason for the changes   

The UK government is negotiating an agreement with the EU on the trade and movement of plants, plant products, animals, animal products, feed and food. This is called a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. 

The agreement means Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland will apply certain rules in line with the EU. These arrangements will apply whether or not you trade directly with the EU. It is our intention that the agreement will take effect in mid-2027. 

As EU rules change in the future, rules in Great Britain will update too. The UK will contribute to the decision-shaping process on future EU rules that will also apply in Great Britain. 

Read more about the benefits in the UK-EU SPS Agreement – information for businesses news story.

As negotiations are ongoing, not all details are confirmed at this stage. This includes detailed requirements and the exact timing of when arrangements will change. We recognise that some businesses will take longer to comply and we are committed to working with them to ensure a smooth transition. Further information will be provided following the completion of negotiations. 

Why this matters  

The SPS agreement  will shape how standards are set and applied across the food sector. Specifically, the changes may:  

• affect what you produce and how you do this, including the standards that you have to meet   
• open up new opportunities for trade and change the way you do this  
• impact costs and processes  
• affect you through supply chains    

What this means for the genetic technologies sector  

Genetically modified organisms    

The UK government will align with EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) under the SPS agreement.  

The expectation is that you should experience minimal changes as a result of the alignment. 

Alignment will give operators clearer and more predictable requirements when working with GMOs to support long-term investment and innovation. 

The improvements could support access to a larger market, increased production for UK businesses and greater product choice for consumers.  

Under the agreement, authorisations for GMOs will revert to EU single market processes.  

This means that, while there has not been notable divergence between Great Britain and EU in how GMOs are regulated, GMO marketing authorisations (that had become the sole responsibility of Great Britain competent authorities) will revert to a centralised EU responsibility.  

Holders of Great Britain marketing authorisations will need to satisfy themselves that their GMO is also authorised in the EU. You need to check the EU’s community register of genetically modified food and feed to determine whether you need to reformulate any of your products or change the products you use to comply with EU rules under the SPS agreement.   

If you intend to submit applications for authorisation, you will need to follow the EU process and guidance under the SPS agreement.    

Businesses making market authorisation applications will need to follow the updated transparency rules in the EU’s General Food Law.

This means businesses will be required to proactively disclose and notify EFSA of commissioned studies. EFSA provided a Q&A update in 2023 to clarify some of the updated rules, which businesses will need to review.  

Precision breeding 

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 applies in England only and sets out a proportionate and science-based regulatory framework for precision breeding that encourages innovation and enables products to be brought to market more easily.  

This legislation regulates precision bred organisms in a different way to that done under the EU GMO regulations.  

Precision breeding is subject to ongoing negotiations between the UK and the EU as part of the SPS agreement. The EU have accepted there will need to be a number of areas where we need to retain our own rules. 

As these negotiations are continuing, detailed guidance for businesses is not being provided at this stage. Further information will be provided once negotiations conclude. 

What businesses should know at this stage 

At this stage, you are not expected to make detailed changes. You should consider the changes to requirements and how they could affect your business. The government will provide more detail in summer 2026, including next steps.   

What we know now (and what will be confirmed later)  

As negotiations with the EU are ongoing, not all of the details are confirmed at this stage. This information outlines what is known now to help you start planning, with further detail to follow later this year.   

Importing and exporting 

The new SPS agreement is relevant to all businesses and organisations involved in importing and exporting SPS goods between the UK, EU and the rest of the world. 

For trade between Great Britain and the EU, the SPS agreement will reduce the requirements for routine SPS documentation and controls.

The requirements for export health certificates, phytosanitary certificates and routine border checks for most agrifood goods will be removed.

Alignment with EU rules will mean there will be alignment with the EU’s approach to checks on rest of world SPS trade. Requirements for trade with countries outside the EU will also continue to apply, in line with international rules. 

The agreement is not a customs agreement, and so customs controls will remain. 

Great Britain to Northern Ireland movements 

Under the SPS agreement, most agrifood goods will not need routine SPS certificates, checks and paperwork when moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. 

This will mean export health certificates and phytosanitary certificates, and the checks and controls associated with them, will no longer be required. 

This will apply to all products that can be moved into the EU. This will include all food for processing, many retail products and, for example, plants for planting, seeds and used agricultural and forestry machinery.

The final restrictions on the movement of certain tree species will disappear. 

 The Windsor Framework will continue to apply, addressing Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances and safeguarding the Good Friday Agreement. This facilitates Northern Ireland’s dual market access to both the UK internal market and the EU single market. 

In practice, the movement schemes set up under the Windsor Framework should no longer be needed, other than potentially for a limited number of goods not covered by the agreement. The Northern Ireland plant health label (NIPHL) scheme will not be needed at all. 

Early considerations for your business 

To prepare for the UK-EU SPS agreement,  you can now take the following steps: 

• sign up for Defra email alerts and the SPS readiness mailing list to receive the latest updates 
• check whether the SPS agreement is likely to apply to your business, especially if you produce, handle, move or trade animals, animal products, plants, plant products, food or feed – check how to prepare your business 
• review your current supply chains and movements (including domestic movements and movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland) to understand where SPS requirements may apply 
• consider where your business currently follows EU rules and where you may have diverged since EU Exit 
• speak to relevant partners (for example suppliers, customers, hauliers, vets or certification bodies) about potential future changes 
• check with trusted sector organisations or trade bodies for any sector specific advice and updates 

Exceptions     

The EU has accepted there will need to be areas where the UK will retain its own rules, as set out in the May 2025 Common Understanding. Details of these are subject to the ongoing negotiation.  

The government has been clear about the importance of being able to: 

• set high animal welfare standards 
• support public health 
• support the use of new and innovative technologies 

Further information will be provided following the completion of the negotiations.  

What happens next 

It is our intention that the agreement will take effect in mid-2027. Some detailed requirements and exact timings of when arrangements will change are still being finalised as part of ongoing negotiations.  

Defra will continue to work with the sector to help shape future communications, guidance and support as further detail becomes available. We have set up an SPS Readiness Business Advisory Council, which is now meeting regularly. The council includes major trade associations and businesses.    

The following timeline sets out the expected stages for introducing the SPS agreement and when further information will be published: 

• summer 2026 – further details on upcoming changes announced, including on any exceptions and transition periods. 
• autumn 2026 – detailed guidance and support, including checklists and practical tools, made available 
• mid-2027 – agreement takes effect (subject to negotiations) 

Further information will be provided following the completion of negotiations. 

Stay informed 

We will continue to publish updates as further detail is confirmed. To keep up to date, you can: 

• sign up for Defra email alerts and the SPS readiness mailing list 
• engage with your trade body or industry association for sector-specific updates, where relevant 

You can also get additional support from other government agencies if you are a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). Contact:  

• Department for Business and Trade: Ask our export support team at the Department for Business and Trade a question
• Food Standards Agency: Regulated products application guidance