Danish fishmeal and fish oil sector supports EU-UK SPS agreement, seeking inclusion to ease border checks and improve trade
Marine Ingredients Denmark has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to negotiate a common sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area with the United Kingdom, but has urged Danish authorities to ensure that fishmeal and fish oil are explicitly included in any final agreement.
The industry body, representing Denmark’s producers of fishmeal and fish oil, said the UK is the country’s second-largest export market for these products, which are used in aquaculture feed and are valued for their high quality, traceability, low climate footprint, and nutritional content, including essential amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. In 2024, Denmark exported fishmeal and fish oil worth around 6 billion DKK globally, with significant volumes destined for the UK.
Marine Ingredients Denmark said the Commission’s proposal could reduce the current trade barriers caused by post-Brexit SPS rules, but warned that the draft text was unclear on whether products not intended for direct human consumption, such as animal by-products (ABP), would be covered.
The organisation has called for products like fishmeal and fish oil to be explicitly included, noting that they are currently classified as medium-risk goods under the UK’s Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) and face identity and physical checks in 1–30% of cases.
“These controls have increased administrative burdens and caused delays for Danish exporters and British customers,” the group said, adding that a common SPS area could bring trade conditions “closer to what applied before Brexit” by removing the need for certificates and border checks for many goods.
The group also reiterated concerns raised in 2024 over the requirement for health certificates for bulk and tank shipments. It said limited certificate availability outside the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration’s normal working hours can cause costly vessel delays. A common SPS framework, it argued, could help resolve this logistical bottleneck and support smoother trade flows.
On the proposal’s reference to aligning the EU’s and UK’s emissions trading systems, Marine Ingredients Denmark said negotiations should ensure “transparency and predictability for energy-intensive companies”, particularly regarding future requirements and pricing in both jurisdictions.
