Under the agreement, border checks on certain plant arriving from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (so called non-qualifying goods) will not be required, as their implementation is disproportionate.

Non-qualifying goods arriving from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can continue to enter the UK without physical inspection, and will continue to require pre-notification and certification in some instance.

According to the government, the suspension will be reviewed on a “rolling basis” to ensure the biosecurity of the UK is effectively maintained.

The new deal aims to establish UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary zone, cutting costs and red tape for businesses that export and import from the EU, reducing delays at the border to ensure trading with the EU is more effectivtiye and efficient. Under the SPS agreement, routine border checks on plant products moving between the UK and EU will be removed.

“Our deal with the EU will boost British businesses as we cut cumbersome bureaucracy and make trading food with our biggest market both cheaper and easier. Protecting the UK’s biosecurity is essential, and our partnership with the EU will ensure this while delivering for working people as part of our Plan for Change,” said Baroness Hayman, Biosecurity Minister.

While the details of the agreement are still to be negotiated, traders are still required to comply with the terms of the UK’s current Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).