Committee publication · Correspondence · 28 April 2026

Correspondence from Association of Port Health Authorities to the Chair relating to UK-EU SPS agreement, dated 21 April 2026

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Summary

The Association of Port Health Authorities writes to the EFRA Committee expressing serious concerns about government proposals to remove or substantially reduce sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls on EU goods and pursue dynamic alignment with EU SPS policy. APHA raises nine substantive areas of concern, grounded in operational experience, including evidence of current non-compliance interceptions, border system resilience, workforce impact, and biosecurity risk, and urges the Committee to seek detailed evidenced answers before supporting such measures.

Key findings

Port Health Authorities have intercepted record quantities of non-compliant goods: nearly 34 tonnes at Dover in January 2026 alone; over 422 tonnes of illegal meat removed by Dover Port Health Authority as of 31 March 2026; over 200 tonnes seized at Sevington Inland Border Facility since opening.
APHA questions the evidence base for removing SPS checks, noting EU goods were historically subject to little routine inspection and therefore presented unknown levels of non-compliance.
Concerns about destabilising the recently operationalised Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), which port health authorities have continued to improve despite acknowledged flaws, with no clear alternative operating model proposed.
Significant risks identified regarding workforce loss: specialist inspection and enforcement skills take many years to develop; experienced staff cannot be readily replaced if controls later need reinstatement.
Dynamic alignment with EU SPS policy would grant the UK only observer status on EU SPS committees while requiring implementation of resulting rules; risk that UK farmers could be undercut by EU imports produced to lower welfare standards.

Tone

Critical

Topics

food-safetybiosecurityborder-controlsanimal-healthtrade-policy

Key actors

Association of Port Health Authorities, Alistair Carmichael MP, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Dover Port Health Authority, Ashford Port Health Authority, Border Force, Anthony Baldock

Notable line

“Without a transparent evidence base, stable funding, and a robust operating model, there is a significant risk that recent gains in border biosecurity and system capability (technical upskilling) will be lost.”

Key Quotes

“APHA considers that these proposals require detailed examination supported by clear evidence.”
— Association of Port Health Authorities · Opening statement on UK-EU SPS agreement proposals

“Nearly 34 tonnes of the imported products were uncovered at the Port of Dover in January 2026 - the highest ever monthly total.”
— Association of Port Health Authorities · Evidence of current non-compliant goods interceptions

“As of 31 March 2026, Dover Port Health Authority removed and prevented over 422 tonnes of illegal meat from entering the UK.”
— Association of Port Health Authorities · Scale of enforcement activity

“Given that port health authorities have continued to deliver strong performance despite acknowledged flaws in the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), including criticisms previously raised by the EFRA Committee …”
— Association of Port Health Authorities · Questioning rationale for reducing controls during improving performance

“How would dynamic alignment with EU SPS regimes protect UK interests where the UK would hold only observer status on EU SPS committees yet be required to implement resulting rules?”
— Association of Port Health Authorities · Concerns about dynamic alignment governance

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗