Brussels is poised to allow the United Kingdom to maintain its ban on live animal exports as part of an upcoming agricultural trade agreement, offering a notable concession to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in ongoing negotiations aimed at strengthening ties between the UK and the European Union.

According to officials involved in the talks, the EU is prepared to grant the UK an exemption from its own regulatory framework, permitting the continuation of the UK’s 2024 ban on the export of live animals such as cows, sheep, and pigs for fattening or slaughter. This development comes despite the absence of a similar restriction within the EU, which remains the world’s largest exporter of live farm animals. The exemption is grounded in a framework agreement signed by both parties in May last year, allowing the UK to uphold stricter national measures without conflicting with EU rules, provided they do not adversely affect EU farmers.

British government sources expressed confidence that the ban on live animal exports would not present a barrier to finalizing the deal, though discussions are ongoing. A government spokesperson emphasized the UK’s commitment to animal welfare and the necessity of retaining certain domestic regulations within the agreement. Officials estimate the trade deal could generate economic benefits valued at up to £5.1 billion.

The prospective agricultural agreement forms a key component of a broader package, which also includes proposals on emissions trading and youth mobility, that Starmer hopes to unveil at an EU summit this summer. The prime minister has underscored the deal’s importance in demonstrating progress on EU relations—a focal point as he seeks to consolidate support within his Labour Party following recent electoral challenges.

While the agricultural pact is expected to advance more smoothly, remaining points of contention persist, notably over the structure of a youth mobility scheme, where disagreements center on the tuition fees European students should pay at UK universities.

Animal welfare advocates have welcomed the EU’s willingness to provide a carve-out for the UK’s live exports ban. David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, described the potential exemption as critical to safeguarding animal welfare standards, including prohibitions on live exports and certain farming practices. Catherine Barnard, a professor of European law at Cambridge University, noted that such an explicit exemption is essential within the sanitary and phytosanitary provisions of the agreement, highlighting the political sensitivity of the issue within the UK.

The Conservative government initially introduced the ban in 2024, framing it as a post-Brexit opportunity to enhance the nation’s standing as a leader in animal welfare. Legal experts have warned that without an exemption, the UK could be compelled to revoke the ban to comply with EU trade regulations. The upcoming deal signals a potential resolution to that impasse, reflecting both sides’ willingness to accommodate divergent national standards within a closer trading relationship.