Cut the red tape: Northern Ireland small firms need the SPS deal to deliver

​If you run a small business in Northern Ireland, you already know this - when Government announces a “landmark deal”, it can either unlock opportunity or land you with another layer of paperwork. That’s why Monday’s announcement from the UK Government about a new UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement matters. The Government says it wants businesses to prepare now for changes expected to come into force from mid-2027. A six-week Call for Information has been launched, asking firms what support they need to make the most of the deal. Ministers say they want UK exporters and importers to benefit from a new SPS agreement that makes trade with our biggest market and closest neighbour easier, cheaper and quicker.

For Northern Ireland in particular, the promise is significant; a simpler, more affordable process for moving most agri-food goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, protecting consumer choice and strengthening the UK internal market. Headlines suggest that bureaucracy such as Export Health Certificates, Phytosanitary Certificates, Organic Certificates of Inspection and identity check fees on meat and dairy exports could be reduced or removed. For many small firms, those requirements have meant extra cost, delays and, in some cases, difficult decisions about whether certain product lines remain viable. And this is where it becomes real for Northern Ireland. FSB NI’s Windsor Framework Realities Report last summer laid bare the frictions and additional costs involved in moving SPS goods from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. For small wholesalers, retailers, food producers and hospitality suppliers, the cumulative burden has been grinding small businesses down. Margins have been squeezed and time has been diverted away from growth towards bureaucratic compliance. Opportunities have been lost. An effective SPS agreement has genuine potential to change that. But potential alone isn’t enough. Small businesses need clarity on timelines. They need to know the destination and they need a phased and practical implementation plan to get there. They need accessible, plain-English guidance. The bureaucracy surrounding animal and plant products is notoriously complex. Without sufficient lead-in time and proper support, even well-intentioned reforms can create fresh uncertainty. We welcome the Government’s commitment to clearer communication and to listening through the Call for Information. The free-flow of food, animal and plant products is critical to our economy and to everyday life here. However, as experience has shown, the devil will always be in the detail. Northern Ireland has already lived through the Protocol and its evolution into the Windsor Framework. Political agreements can deliver benefits, but they can also bring unintended consequences, often felt most acutely by smaller firms without dedicated compliance teams. That’s why FSB NI continues to engage directly with policymakers in London and Brussels. Last week, we were in London giving evidence to the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee as part of its follow-up inquiry into the Windsor Framework, before we headed to Brussels alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Business Stakeholder Group to press the case for practical solutions. Our message is consistent. Systems must work for small businesses in the real world, not just on paper. Responding to FSB’s advocacy last year around the Windsor Framework Realities, the Chancellor’s £16.6 million allocation to establish a “One Stop Shop” to help businesses navigate UK trade processes is a recognition that support is needed. That is welcome, but delivery will be key. Brexit-related arrangements may no longer dominate the headlines but for small businesses here they remain very live issues. Over the coming years, sustained focus and partnership between government and business will be essential. FSB NI will continue to ensure that the voice of small firms in Northern Ireland is not only heard, but acted upon as these negotiations progress.