UK, EU agree to ease customs checks on food and plants

Britain's PM Keir Starmer, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, during the UK-EU Summit at Lancaster House in London on May 19, 2025. [AFP]

The UK on Monday said its new economic agreement with the European Union eases customs checks on food and plant products to "allow goods to flow freely again".

The pact will add nearly PS9 billion ($12 billion) to the British economy by 2040 and links the two sides' emissions quotas to spare British companies from the EU carbon tax, Downing Street said in a statement.