INDICATIONS that the £200 health certificate required for horse exports from Ireland to Britain could soon be scrapped has been welcomed by two of the country’s leading transporters.

MEP Nina Carberry contacted The Irish Field this week with news that a breakthrough in negotiations on a new EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement was likely to be good news for Ireland’s racing, breeding and sport horse industries.

The agreement, which will be formally signed at a summit on November 20th, is expected to remove existing export health certificates, costing up to £200 per consignment and reduce checks at designated Border Control Posts.

Carberry, who is the European Parliament’s lead MEP on EU-UK relations, welcomed the agreement this week, while emphasising that the deal must enter into force as soon as possible.

“This is very welcome news for the equine industry. For trainers, breeders and sales companies moving back and forth between Ireland and the UK, these additional costs and delays have been a real frustration since Brexit.

“Since 2019, thoroughbred movements between the EU and UK have fallen by around 25%. Hopefully, this deal will see those numbers boosted again by removing unnecessary barriers to trade.

“The next step is to finalise the agreement. As the Parliament’s lead MEP on EU–UK relations, I will be pushing that this deal is fast-tracked through Parliament. We now need to turn this progress into real improvements on the ground for the people who breed, train, transport and compete our horses.

“In the longer term, we also need to focus on simplifying customs arrangements and improving digital identification systems to reduce costs, cut duplication and make it easier to move horses between Ireland and Britain,” Carberry added.

Patrick Keane of Ballinroe Transport commented: “It will be very helpful if it comes into law . It would mean no more health papers between Ireland and the UK, which would be a huge cost reduction for people moving horses between these countries. Customs would still apply unless the horses go back into the Customs Union.”

A spokesperson for Equine Express said: “We are very happy with the news. This will be of significant benefit for our clients. Not only does this agreement reduce the costs involved to transport it also greatly improves the efficiency and speed of export.

“We agree with MEP Nina Carberr that this will indeed be a great boost to the Irish equine industry and we look forward to the agreement being finalised.”