The EU is asking the UK for a guarantee. If any future UK government ends the Brexit trade deal now being negotiated, London must cover costs for the EU. This deal targets farm product checks removed after Brexit. The clause, nicknamed the "Farage clause" by EU diplomats, would make the UK pay for rebuilding border controls if it exits the deal. This demand reminds all of the costly Brexit split. In 2020, the EU created a huge €5.4bn fund to help member countries handle disruption from the UK’s departure. This fund covered nations like Ireland (€920m) and the Netherlands (€800m+) to hire customs and vet officers. France, Spain, and others also spent big on border services. UK sources say the clause is routine in trade deals and works both ways. If the EU leaves, they must pay the UK. A Labour source said such exit clauses are normal and it is tiring to call them a "democratic outrage." Negotiations on this sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal haven’t started yet but will begin this month. They might take months as this is a complex issue in the trade reset. Anand Menon from UK in a Changing Europe said, "We shouldn’t be surprised that the EU is playing hardball. After all, they have decided that we need these agreements more than they do. As such, they will extract every last concession." The draft text says compensation covers costs of rebuilding infrastructure, training, and equipment needed for border checks. This could reach billions of pounds. The EU’s 2020 €5.4bn adjustment reserve prepared member states for Brexit-related checks not seen since the single market started in 1993. So far, talks have also stumbled over carbon dioxide rules on goods sent to the EU. Earlier hopes for a Christmas deal on that front were dashed. The European Commission and UK government have not given comments yet.