Guidance: FSA and FSS Section 42 advice: UK-India free trade agreement

1.1 As the UK’s statutory authorities responsible for safeguarding food and feed safety and protecting consumer interests—within England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (FSA), and within Scotland (FSS)—the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland have been commissioned by the Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security to deliver joint advice regarding the UK’s accession to the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

1.2 The UK-India CETA originated from the Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) agreed in May 2021, which laid the foundation for deeper trade co-operation. Formal negotiations commenced in January 2022, and an agreement was reached in May 2025, with the deal signed on 24th July 2025.

1.3 Before the CETA can take legal effect, it must undergo formal scrutiny in Parliament, as required by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. To support this process, the Government will publish a report under Section 42 of the 2020 Agriculture Act — an independent assessment focused specifically on agricultural trade. This report will evaluate whether the CETA’s provisions uphold the UK’s existing legal standards for protecting human, animal, and plant health, as well as animal welfare and the environment.

1.4 The request from the Minister came under Section 42(4) of the Agriculture Act 2020 and focused on whether the provisions in the UK-India CETA affecting human health maintain the UK’s statutory protections, specifically within the areas overseen by FSA and FSS. This document presents the FSA and FSS’s joint assessment, which will be included as an annex to the Government’s Section 42 Report.

1.5 In summary, the FSA/FSS assessment is that: