Windsor Framework: SPS checks 8% as 2026 rules near

Here’s the gist the UK Government and the European Commission set out today, Wednesday 3 December 2025. The Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework met to review progress since 2 October 2025 and recommitted to delivering the deal fully, on time and as agreed.

The most immediate change for food retailers and wholesalers is a small but practical one. SPS identity checks on agri‑food consignments moving under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme have been reduced from 10% to 8%, a shift the co‑chairs said should make deliveries smoother when goods meet the scheme’s rules.

If you are new to this, SPS stands for sanitary and phytosanitary. These are the safety rules for food, animals and plants. An identity check means officials confirm the goods match the certificate and the labels; it is different from a documentary check, which looks only at paperwork, and a physical check, which examines the goods themselves.

Officials also noted steady progress on the nuts and bolts: individual labelling is rolling out, all SPS inspection facilities are now operational, and the information fields on the general SPS certificates have been improved. The message, though, is clear-flexibilities apply only to consignments that are fully compliant, so certificates and labels need to be exact.

On customs, EU representatives now have access to most relevant UK IT systems, with technical work under way to deliver full access across all systems as a matter of urgency. Better shared data should mean quicker problem‑solving at the border and more predictable journeys for hauliers and suppliers who rely on clear, consistent customs processes.

One date to mark is 1 January 2026, when the Windsor Framework rules for veterinary medicines start applying in full. If you supply or use animal medicines in Northern Ireland, this is the point when the new arrangements bite end‑to‑end, so procurement and stock planning across December needs to reflect that timetable.

The governance engine is still running. The Joint Consultative Working Group-and its structured sub‑groups-continues to meet, and the co‑chairs stressed ongoing joint engagement with Northern Ireland stakeholders. In practice, that means businesses, civic groups and officials on both sides feeding in questions and spotting issues early.

The committee also discussed how the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act and Cyber Resilience Act might interact with the Windsor Framework, as allowed for under Article 13(4). They will report to the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee at its next meeting with the aim of concluding this exchange quickly so everyone understands which rules apply where.

A quick timeline helps you keep track. The last committee review was on 2 October 2025; today’s joint statement is dated 3 December 2025; SPS identity checks for Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme consignments now stand at 8%; and veterinary medicines rules apply in full from 1 January 2026.

A short glossary, because we are all learning together. The Windsor Framework is the 2023 UK–EU deal that adjusts how goods move between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Specialised Committee is the officials’ meeting that monitors delivery. The Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme lets approved retailers move agri‑food with simplified processes. SPS means sanitary and phytosanitary-food, animal and plant standards. The Joint Consultative Working Group is where the UK and EU share information and raise technical issues. Article 13(4) is the process for considering how new EU laws might relate to the framework.

What this means for you if you trade: keep labels and certificates precise, use the scheme only for eligible goods, and expect fewer identity checks provided you are compliant. If your business depends on veterinary medicines, align orders and logistics now for the 1 January 2026 switch‑on. For customs, keep systems updated because EU officials will have fuller visibility.

The bigger picture is practical rather than dramatic. Today’s update, published by the UK Government, signals steady tightening of processes that aim to protect standards while reducing friction for compliant traders. We will keep tracking the dates and definitions so you can spend less time decoding policy and more time getting goods to shelves.