Call to block independent Brexit ‘cheap food’ deals

A call for the EU to block Brexit plans which sought to allow the UK to set up independent trade agreements in the agri-food sector has been made – amidst claims that any “cheap food” policy could undermine the farming industry throughout Europe.

In a strongly worded plea to European farm commissioner Phil Hogan, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) yesterday claimed that the British government’s proposals to set up a UKEU free trade area which would also allow the country to follow an independent trade policy were “seriously flawed and totally unacceptable”.

IFA president Joe Healy said Westminster’s recent Brexit White Paper confirmed fears that the British government could introduce a cheap food policy within the proposed free trade area.

“This would not only destroy its domestic UK market, but also drag down the EU market with it,” said Healey.

“Those who see the white Paper as representing a solution for frictionless trade, north-south and east-west, are seriously mistaken,” he said, adding that while the UK’S commitments to harmonisation with EU rules represented a major step forward towards avoiding regulatory checks, the proposal didn’t go far enough.

“The EU negotiators led by Michel Barnier must be up-front and rule out the UK having an independent trade policy in the area of agri-food at this week’s EUUK Brexit negotiations,” said Healey.

He claimed that the UK White Paper made it plain that outside thecommon agricultural policy, the UK wanted the ability to change tariffs and quotas in the future on agri-food products.

“This would enable the UK to negotiate its own trade deals with South America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand at prices that would undercut European beef, dairy, pigmeat, lamb and poultry producers,” he said, adding that such a move would destroy the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Irish family farmers and millions across Europe.

“This is the kind of double-think by the UK that will not work for the EU farming and food sector, “he said. “No new customs arrangement can achieve frictionless borders unless the UK commits to the EU’S common external tariff and quotas on food imports.”

Healey concluded: “IFA’S policy position is very clear: no border on the island of Ireland, no border in the Irish Sea and no scope for the UK to pursue a cheap food policy.” l While the proposals within the White Paper for frictionless trade were broadly welcomed by the farming unions in the UK, they too stressed the need to maintain standards.

In a joint statement issued by the Scottish English and Welsh unions they warned that it was “imperative” that the UK’S independent trade policy did not seek to undermine those standards – and stated that establishing a close relationship with Europe would enable recognizable and acceptable standards to be maintained.

And the unions also called for a recognition of the importance of both seasonal and permanent workers from outside of the UK and urged the government to adopt an immigration policy which was based on fact and business need.