Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds' speech on Food Security, Resilience & Standards: UK Agricultural Strategy in Europe at the British Ambassador's Residence in Paris
Good evening, bonsoir, mesdames et messieurs. Distinguished guests, colleagues and friends. Thank you for welcoming me to Paris this evening.
And thank you Andrew for that kind and rather cheesy introduction.
Je suis ravie d'etre ici ce soir avec vous. Paris occupe une place toute particulière dans mon cœur. J'ai travaillé en France dans ma tendre jeunesse à l'âge 19 ans comme serveuse a la gare de Lyon Partdieu. J'en ai retenu deux choses essentielles: l'importance d'un service de qualité… et une passion toujours aussi intense pour le fromage, la charcuterie et le vin français.
And in fact, when I reflect on my time living here in France I can see some similarities between being a waitress and being a politician - you're working long hours, serving the people, and also, alas, dealing with complaints - but unfortunately, we politicians can't blame the kitchen when things go wrong!
This impressive residence - Hotel Charost - has a rich history. The Duke of Wellington bought it off Napoleon's sister, but don't worry; the money and indeed the gold Britain paid for it was used by the French emperor to finance his return from exile!
And this residence has served for over 200 years as a place where British and French people have come together to discuss the issues of the moment and explore the opportunities ahead.
That is exactly what I want to do this evening with you.
Today has been a day full of rich conversations.
I had the great pleasure of meeting my French counterpart, Minister Annie Genevard, to discuss the future of our farming sectors, international trade and the agreement that we are negotiating between the UK and the EU on sanitary and phytosanitary rules - un accord sur les normes sanitaires et phytosanitaires - which you can see why we shorten to "SPS agreement".
I have also had meetings with Ambassador Olivier Poivre D'Arvor to discuss our shared ocean priorities - from marine protected areas to the plastics treaty.
And Ambassador Barbara Pompili and I covered the biodiversity agenda, including our joint work on biodiversity credits.
What struck me throughout today's meetings was a common thread: a shared commitment to high standards, practical cooperation, and the understanding that the challenges we face - from climate to food security to ocean health - do not respect borders. And that we can stand tall in the world, working together in partnership to solve these challenges.
Why food security matters now
And that reminded me of something I learnt from my many years working in Brussels.
That the relationship between the United Kingdom and our European neighbours is not simply a matter of treaties and trade statistics, as important as they are. It is built on something deeper.
We have shared values, shared culture and a shared history. And most importantly we have a shared future.
As the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said yesterday, Britain's future is inextricably bound with Europe's future. For economic reasons, for security, for resilience and for defence. Geography matters in our world today. None of the trade agreements the UK has done around the world are as important as our trade arrangements with the EU.
That is why our Labour government committed to the British people that we would reset and deliver on the partnership with our European friends. And that is exactly what we are doing.
Because this partnership, based on our shared values, matters even more in this uncertain world.
War on our continent, with the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Increasing geopolitical tensions.
New biosecurity threats - plant and animal diseases that do not respect borders.
All these challenges demand greater cooperation, not isolation.
And climate change is placing unprecedented pressure on food systems, biodiversity, and the natural resources we all depend upon.
This is not a distant threat. Droughts, floods, extreme weather events - are already disrupting harvests, straining supply chains, and driving up costs for farmers and consumers alike.
Food security has direct consequences for the safety and wellbeing of our populations. In this new geopolitical reality, it is inseparable from national security.
That is why food security has become a strategic priority for governments across Europe - and why the strength of our relationships with our closest partners matters more than ever.
For our shared security. And our shared prosperity.
UK-France food systems are deeply connected
The English Channel, la Manche, is one of Europe's most important food corridors.
Every day, high-value, time-sensitive goods cross in both directions, serving consumers and supporting producers on both sides.
France exports over €7 billion euros in agri-food products to the UK each year.
In return the UK exports over €3 billion euros of such produce to France.
French produce on British tables; British products in French markets.
Indeed, some of the finest French produce can be found in some of the best French restaurants - many of which are of course in London.
French wine, cheese, chocolate and croissants are fantastically popular back home amongst the French expats but also les roast bifs.
I must confess a particular weakness for a good Côtes du Rhône or indeed Burgundy.
I read of President Macron's visit to the trade show, Wine Paris, just this week, championing French producers and seeking new markets.
We share that instinct: to support our agricultural sectors, defend quality, and find partners who value what we grow and make.
And I'm sure that many of you have your own British favourites. I know that British salmon, whisky and lamb are valued in French restaurants and markets. Some of you might even drink a morning cup of tea.
These flows of agri-food products represent millions of meals, thousands of livelihoods, and generations of trade built on trust. And something more, that the French know better than anyone else, food is culture.
What crosses the Channel reflects not just commerce, but connection.
Our supply chains are not national systems operating in parallel. They are integrated networks.
The UK's food security benefits when France and the wider EU are thriving. French resilience benefits when UK production and supply are stable.
SPS agreement benefits
This brings me to the agreement we are working towards with the EU.
The SPS agreement is designed to restore the Channel corridor to its full potential.
Exports of British farm products to the EU have dropped by a fifth in the five years since Brexit. And I heard in a roundtable this afternoon with French producers that they have had similar challenges exporting to the UK.
That's not good for farmers and consumers on both sides of the channel.
This agreement will change that.
It will make trade faster, easier, and cheaper.
Businesses large and small will benefit from less time and money spent on complex paperwork at the border.
Consumers will have greater access to the high-quality products they value.
The agreement will mean over €300 million euros worth of cheese entering the UK from France would no longer need to be checked at the border and can reach customers more quickly.
It also means that over €500 million euros worth of UK fish arriving in France each year can be sold faster and more reliably.
Frictionless trade, efficient borders, open supply chains - these directly support farmer incomes, consumer prices, and shared resilience.
The mutual benefits are significant.
They tie the UK and EU together on food security and improve movement and reliability on both sides of the Channel.
Shared high standards
There is sometimes a temptation, when discussing trade agreements, to suggest that standards must be traded off against supply.
My government rejects that view.
The UK and EU are natural allies in upholding high standards of animal welfare and environmental protection - and in championing these principles internationally, protecting the integrity of our food systems while leading the global transition to sustainable agriculture.
High standards are not a barrier to trade. They are what makes trade valuable. They are what consumers trust. And they are what will distinguish European agriculture in an increasingly uncertain world.
Sustainable farming and food security
The climate crisis means we cannot secure our food systems simply by producing more. We must produce food differently.
Sustainable farming is not a constraint on food security - it is the foundation of it. Soil health, water management, biodiversity, reduced emissions - these are not luxuries. They are the conditions on which productive agriculture depends.
Farmers who protect and restore their land are not just producing food. They are safeguarding the capacity to produce food for generations to come.
As G7 and G20 members, the UK and France have both the platform and the obligation to drive global action on climate - in our food systems but also in energy, trade, and the protection of natural ecosystems worldwide.
Last week I addressed scientists and policymakers gathered in Manchester for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
At that gathering, I delivered remarks on behalf of His Majesty the King, who spoke of nature as "the ultimate foundation of our societies and, critically, our economy" - and of the urgent need to reverse biodiversity loss.
His Majesty is right. Together we will demonstrate that protecting and restoring nature isn't just an environmental necessity, it is essential for our security, our economy, and our future.
The King also highlighted the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, jointly established by the UK and French governments, as a model for how nature finance can channel investment towards nature across the world.
That partnership - practical, innovative, and rooted in shared values - extends to the work ahead.
And tomorrow I look forward to meeting Environment Minister Monique Barbut to discuss how we can work together through France's G7 presidency this year and beyond - and demonstrate what multilateralism can deliver.
Today has been a reminder of why these partnerships matter - not just in policy documents, but in practice.
The conversations I've had with my French colleagues and counterparts, have reinforced my belief that the UK and France are ready to write the next chapter together.
Because the challenges we face - climate change, geopolitical instability, pressures on our food systems - are not challenges any country can meet in splendid isolation.
They demand cooperation between trusted partners who share not just interests, but values.
That is what the UK and France have built together.
Not a relationship of convenience, but one grounded in shared history, mutual respect, and a common vision for the future.
In the months ahead, as we work to finalise the SPS agreement and deepen our cooperation, I am confident we will demonstrate what this partnership can achieve - not just for our two countries, but as a model for how neighbours can work together in an uncertain world.
And in the spirit of partnership, I should warn you: the sparkling wine you have been drinking is produced by the finest English vineyards! But don't worry - le vin rouge est francais!
The entente may be tested, but I trust it will remain cordiale.
But in all seriousness, I hope you'll join me in toasting the friendship between our nations - past, present, and future.
À notre amitié - d'hier, d'aujourd'hui et de demain.
Merci.
