Britain and the European Union have agreed on a draft agreement aimed at reducing border checks and bureaucracy for British exports of food and agricultural products to the EU.
The draft, of around 200 pages, has been distributed to member states for review ahead of the upcoming European summit.
The agreement is expected to ease the export of products such as fresh sausages, hamburgers, shellfish and seed potatoes, reducing the costs of inspections and certifications. According to the British government, the economic benefits could reach £5.1 billion a year.
In return, London would have to align its food and agricultural standards with EU rules, through a mechanism known as “dynamic alignment”.
The pact also aims to facilitate trade with Northern Ireland, but it has drawn opposition from Conservatives and pro-Brexit groups, who see it as a limit on British sovereignty. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are calling for even closer alignment with the European market.