Brexit breakthrough welcomed as catalyst to drive talks forward

Yesterday’s early-morning Brexit breakthrough was widely welcomed by industries across the UK – and none more-so than the farming sector which, with the vast majority of its exports going to the rest of the EU, arguably, had most to lose under a no-deal scenario.

But while the proposals – which included no hard borders between Northern Ireland and the Republic or with the rest of the UK – have yet to be ratified at a meeting of EU heads of state next week, they were welcomed by farming organisations like NFU Scotland which said the agreement should be used as a launch pad to drive forward trade talks:

“With today’s announcement, a welcome line has been drawn under the speculation around ‘no deal’ scenarios and the Union urges rapid progress on trade,” said union president, Andrew Mccornick.

Speaking shortly after the announcement was made in Brussels, the UK’S Environment Secretary, Michael Gove said that he was “hopeful, optimistic and confident” that the country could secure a comprehensive and deep free-trade agreement which would allow the UK and the EU to do business in a frictionless manner.

Admitting that there would be “bumps in the road”, he said the UK started in a position of alignment with the EU, providing a model for “one of the fullest and most comprehensive free-trade agreements ever signed.”

The undertaking in the agreement that this “full alignment” would remain without an agreement to the contrary also raised the industry’s hopes of maintaining a straightforward trading regime with Europe.

Dairy UK also welcomed the announcement.