The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Access to single market through EEA a ‘big ask’
Senior civil servant reveals an extra hurdle Scotland would face in its ambition
An major extra hurdle to future farm trading in Europe’s single market has been revealed by a senior civil servant.
Even if the Scottish Government is successful in their stated aim of gaining access to the single market through membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) the farming industry would not benefit because the current EEA arrangements specifically exclude agriculture and fisheries produce.
David Barnes, a deputy director of the Government’s EU hub for agriculture, told the Farming Scotland conference in Carnoustie that persuading Europe to add on two of the most significant sectors for Scotland would be a ‘big ask’.
“When we talk about using the EEA as a vehicle for keeping Scotland in the single market we’re not talking about standard EEA terms, we’re saying we’d like EEA plus single market equivalent terms for food and drink products,” he said.
“We know it’s a big ask and we know that what’s described there would potentially be technically complicated as well in terms of how you would arrange the border situation. So it wouldn’t be our first choice.
“But since our first choice has been ruled out, if the alternative is to end up with no single market status for Scotland at all, we think we should explore this differentiated approach as a possibility.
“And given that the UK Government has said it will work closely with the devolved administrations, we would hope to get a chance to discuss it.
“We want the equivalent of full single market status including for agriculture and fisheries. That’s our position.”
Mr Barnes acknowledged Brexit meant there would be opportunities for the UK to make its own trade deals and look at new markets but he emphasised the risks of stepping into “an uncertain and unknown position”.
“Quite understandably people see it as an opportunity to simplify, to sweep away red tape, and we’re prepared to seize it,” he said.
“The stakes are very, very high for funding, for the shape of future policy and for trade. This really is serious stuff we’re playing with and it’s important we stay in touch with the industry as things develop.”