Paris and London reaffirm their commitment to food security, high standards and closer bilateral cooperation
UK Secretary of State for Environment, Emma Reynolds, and French Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Annie Genevard met in Paris to reaffirm their commitment to food security, high standards and closer bilateral cooperation, focusing on agricultural resilience and the future of agri-food trade between the UK, France and the EU. They stressed the importance of strong domestic production to ensure safe, sustainable and affordable food, and reinforced high standards of animal and plant health, biosecurity and sustainable farming, with measures based on WOAH standards and EU regulations that protect herds while facilitating trade. The ministers discussed progress toward a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement as established in the May 2025 UK-EU Common Understanding, emphasising a swift and durable deal to simplify trade and reduce administrative burdens, and noting strong consensus for timely market-access resolutions, while reaffirming close Franco-British cooperation during France’s G7 Presidency and the UK’s forthcoming G20 and G7 presidencies, and planning to meet again.
Environment Secretary meets the French Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty in Paris on 12 February.
The UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Honourable Emma Reynolds, and the French Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Annie Genevard, met in Paris for a political dialogue focused on food security, agricultural resilience and the future of agri-food trade between the United Kingdom, France and the EU.
They underlined the strategic importance of maintaining strong domestic agricultural production to guarantee access to safe, sustainable and affordable food. In a context marked by geopolitical instability, climate change and pressure on global supply chains, food security forms an integral part of national and European security. A competitive, innovative and resilient agricultural sector is essential to this objective.
The Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to high standards of animal and plant health, robust biosecurity and sustainable farming practices. They welcomed constructive technical engagement on specific market access issues and emphasised the importance of measures based on World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) standards and EU regulations that protect domestic herds and flocks while facilitating trade.
They also discussed progress towards a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, as established in the May 2025 UK-EU Common Understanding. An ambitious and durable agreement would simplify trade, reduce administrative burdens and provide long-term certainty for producers and retailers on both sides of the Channel, while ensuring a high level of sanitary standards. The Ministers noted strong consensus for the swift conclusion of negotiations as well as for the timely resolution of market access issues
In the context of France’s G7 Presidency and the United Kingdom’s forthcoming G20 and G7 Presidencies, they reaffirmed their intention to maintain close coordination on agriculture and food system resilience. They look forward to meeting again on this matter.
The Secretary of State and the Minister expressed their shared wish to deepen Franco-British cooperation in agricultural and food policy in the months ahead, in support of farmers, rural communities and consumers in both countries.
