The United Kingdom and European Union are nearing agreement on a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal — a treaty governing food safety and animal health standards — that would eliminate physical checks on farm produce and remove the need for costly veterinary certificates at the border. Experts told a UK House of Lords committee on Tuesday that while the deal's overall economic impact would be "modest," it would meaningfully ease trade, including reviving exports of Scottish seafood such as langoustines and oysters that lost viability after Brexit border checks shortened their shelf life. The agreement would involve the UK dynamically aligning with EU agricultural regulations, though some analysts argue Britain has not fully leveraged its position as the destination for roughly 23% of the EU's global agri-food exports to seek a less binding "mutual recognition" arrangement instead.