UK ceases post-Brexit trade talks with Canada

LONDON — The British government has called off post-Brexit trade talks with Canada after discussions broke down over disagreements related to the import and export of beef and cheese.

The countries have been negotiating a new trade deal over the past two years since Britain fully left the European Union. Trade between the two has largely continued under the same deal that was originally brokered when Britain was a member of the bloc.

In a statement late Thursday, the U.K. government said it “remains open” to restarting talks in the future but that there was no progress so far. Annual trade between the two countries is valued at around $33 billion.

Over time as the discussions pushed ahead, Canadian negotiators came under mounting pressure from their beef industry and domestic cheesemakers.

The beef industry wanted access to the United Kingdom for its hormone-fed beef while the cheesemakers warned about the economic impact of tariff-free cheese from Britain, primarily cheddar.

Tariff-free cheese exports from Britain to Canada stopped at the end of 2023 after a time-limited side agreement expired, leaving British producers facing higher duties of 245%.

Canada’s trade minister, Mary Ng, said in an X posting that the Canadian government “will never agree to a deal that isn’t good for our workers, farmers and businesses.”

Minette Batters, president of the Nation Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, praised the British government, especially its apparent refusal to allow hormone-linked beef to be allowed into Britain.