Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans for the Border Target Operating Model for equines to go live before a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement is made with the EU.

Following the UK-EU summit on 19 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Devolved Governments have decided to pause implementation of further controls on imports of EU and EFTA live animals, including equines. Compliance with existing Border Target Operating Model controls must continue until further notice because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected.