Guidance

Horticulture industry: 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 changes under the SPS agreement are relevant to businesses involved in the edible and ornamental horticulture trade across Great Britain. This includes those involved in:

• producing and moving plants and plant products, such as plant nurseries
• garden centres and retailers
• manufacturers and suppliers of garden products
• landscapers

The agreement will shape how standards are set and applied across the sector. The changes might:

• affect what you produce and move, and how you do this, including the standards that you must meet
• open 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 horticulture industry

These changes may affect:

• types of inputs, their cost and application (such as pesticides and biocides)
• the time you need to take and processes you need to follow for compliance (such as certification, checks and marketing requirements)
• what your buyers or suppliers require from you
• the control measures put in place during pest and disease outbreaks

What businesses should know at this stage

Organisations and businesses in the horticulture industry are encouraged to continue engaging with the process to be ready by mid-2027.

At this stage, you are not expected to make detailed changes. You should consider the changes to the 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.  

Plants, plant products, crops and other regulated objects

There will be changes to requirements for plants and plant products, including in areas such as plant checks, certification, and movement controls. These changes could affect how plants are grown and moved.

Changes could also affect the movement of other regulated objects. For example, moving used agricultural and forestry machinery and equipment, between Great Britain and the EU.

If you grow plants and crops

The rules that you need to follow if you produce or move plants and plant products will change. For example, EU plant passports will replace UK plant passports.

Aligning with EU plant health requirements will mean that some pests will be categorised differently and Great Britain will need to adopt the EU categorisations. This may impact the ways in which you manage these pests and diseases.

The rules on pesticides and biocides will change.  

The plant protection product (PPP), maximum residue levels (MRLs) and biocides processes are complex and have diverged from EU rules since EU Exit. For example, the EU and Great Britain have taken different decisions on the approval, withdrawal or renewal of approval of active substances.

Some decisions have also been taken at different times or accounted for environmental conditions or socio-economic needs specific to either Great Britain or the EU.

These challenges are being worked through during negotiations. We are considering what targeted arrangements may be possible for areas where it will be most challenging to implement the necessary changes under the agreement.   

For pesticides, this means that in Great Britain active substances and pesticide MRLs will be aligned with the EU. When EU rules on active substances and maximum residue levels change, they will be mirrored in Great Britain. This may affect:

• the pesticides and biocides you can buy
• how you can use them
• the types of products you can use on your farm
• the MRLs allowed in food and animal feed

This may have an effect on how you manage your business even if you do not trade with the EU.  

You may need to consider switching to alternative active substances if some pesticides or biocides are no longer approved under the new system. Some pesticide products could be withdrawn, or have their uses limited. Others may become available. 

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.    

Businesses should work with industry bodies to understand where you are most reliant on PPPs that are incompatible with EU requirements. You will also need to consider methods for safe use-up and disposal of any products that will no longer be allowed under the new system. 

If you breed plants and crops

Alignment with the EU on plant variety rights will give you the option to protect your plant varieties across the UK and EU through a single right. This will make it easier for you to control how your plant varieties are used across both markets.

You will be able to apply to list your plant varieties in one EU country or in Great Britain’s national catalogue of varieties. For example, if accepted onto the Great Britain variety list, your plant varieties will be added to the EU’s common catalogue of varieties. 

Alignment with certification and marketing requirements for plant and forest reproductive material, will mean you will no longer be required to apply for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) certification for movements to and from the EU.

The UK government will align with EU rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Precision breeding is subject to ongoing negotiations between the UK and the EU as part of the SPS agreement.  

If you are involved in the production of organic plants and crops

There will be stricter requirements for organic seed and plant reproductive material, reducing the use of conventional seeds. We will provide more detail on this in due course.

The definition of plant reproductive material (PRM) will be expanded. This broader definition captures all forms of vegetative propagation, subjecting them to organic standards including:

• cuttings
• roots
• grafts
• plugs

If you import, export or move plants and crops within Great Britain

Phytosanitary certificates will no longer be required for movement to the EU.

EU plant passports will replace UK plant passports. There will no longer be border checks on plants moving between Great Britain and the EU.

There may be additional growing season inspections needed in 2026 to meet EU plant passport requirements in 2027. This will mean inspectors might be on your site for longer in 2026, but you will not be charged for any additional work carried out before the SPS agreement is implemented.

The export of seed potatoes will resume. This will reopen the EU market for this sector.   

Import checks on plants and plant products entering Great Britain from the EU will stop, but some post import checks will still apply to some plants.

Reduced border disruption may lower costs associated with contingency planning, delayed deliveries, temporary storage and spoilage risks, particularly for fresh plants, young plants and seasonal horticultural products where timing is important.

Small and medium-sized businesses may particularly benefit from reduced non-tariff barriers, as smaller consignments and consolidated loads should become easier and more cost-effective to move between Great Britain and the EU.

Businesses will still be responsible for ensuring that commercial documentation and consignment information remain accurate and complete. Errors or omissions may still result in delays, inspections or disruption where controls continue to apply. 

An additional notification system will be needed for the import of high-risk plant imports from the EU. This will be similar to the system that was in place previously and will safeguard Great Britain from known biosecurity risks. 

Great Britain will align with the EU’s rules on rest of world imports. Phytosanitary certificates will be required for imports of rest of world goods (goods coming from outside the EU).  

Inspections of certain rest of world imports will increase to align with the level of inspections set out in the EU. This includes some goods that are not currently subject to routine inspection.

There will be changes to reporting and inspection systems to meet the requirements of the EU Plant Health Regulation.

You will need to participate in the EU’s reporting and inspection systems to prove that your business is reducing the risk of outbreaks from plant imports and exports. Reporting information will be shared with the EU and used to help shape future inspection assurance approaches in Great Britain.

Other changes that may affect growers of fresh produce

Some businesses may need to make changes to their products and practices to ensure they are compliant with new rules relating to EU marketing standards, food labelling and organics.

All businesses across the UK will need to follow relevant EU rules for organics, whether they trade with the EU or only operate within Great Britain. Find further detail about changes for the organics sectors.

The main food labelling rules will change very little. If you sell organic products you will need to update labelling to include the EU organic logo and the EU statement of agricultural origin. Find more information about food manufacturing, processing and standards.

Businesses should ensure that relevant staff understand which products remain subject to SPS requirements and what processes apply under the new arrangements. Ongoing awareness and training will help businesses maintain compliance as arrangements change.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity will remain a core priority. The UK government will continue to take national action to protect biosecurity. 

Under the SPS agreement, we will work jointly with the EU on threats to the UK’s biosecurity and public health. 

The agreement will facilitate safe trade in SPS goods, including through UK access to EU agencies, systems and databases, which will promote transparency of movements and strengthen information sharing. 

The UK will play a key role, alongside the EU, in protecting the shared UK and EU SPS area from external biosecurity and public health risks, while also having the shared responsibility to address any risks that arise internally. This includes sharing our data, science and evidence to inform effective actions. 

The common understanding states that the UK should be able to take targeted action to protect its biosecurity and public health, in the same way as the EU.

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.

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.

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, which 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, or certification bodies) about potential future changes
• check with trusted sector organisations or trade bodies for any sector specific advice and updates

There are also some sector-specific actions that you may wish to take:

• based on the information provided, consider if your goods are in scope
• consider whether this changes how you produce, move, sell or buy goods, and what buyers and suppliers may expect from you
• consider whether any of your current practices (such as certification, inputs, records, standards) may need to change
• start conversations with others in your sector or professional network about what the changes could mean in practice.
• consider what this could mean for your costs and the time needed to meet requirements, including any potential efficiencies or opportunities
• identify areas where more clarity, information or support may be needed and stay informed as more information becomes available

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 a 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 will be available, including checklists and practical tools
• 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.

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