Agricultural organizations from the EU have joined the call from the British National Farmers Union (NFU) for a breakthrough in talks on a British-European trade agreement. The negotiations for the post-Brexit period are at a standstill, and the European Parliament is even threatening to oppose it.
The call was discussed during a videoconference on trade in agri-food products between Great Britain and the EU countries and the looming consequences for British farms if it ends in a no-deal Brexit. In that case, global WTO rules will apply for import and export, including quotas and tariffs.
The videoconference by the NFU and six other British/EU agricultural organizations was attended by more than 150 politicians, food and agricultural groups, and stakeholders. “Farmers in the EU and the United Kingdom rely on cross-border trade. The EU accounts for more than 70% of British agri-food exports, and it is essential that this relationship is maintained through a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement,” said NFU chair Minette Batters.
If the British want to conclude their own trade agreements next year outside the EU with the United States or China, they will also have to establish quality agreements (environment, labor, etc.), import duties (customs, VAT, etc.), and import rules (maximum quantities, quotas, etc.) also with the European Union. Recently, Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the first time—much to the alarm of many British farmers—indicated that next year, quotas and tariffs might apply for exports to EU countries for some products.
Moreover, the British government wants to conclude a limited trade agreement with the EU, while British businesses want to maintain as much free trade as possible with EU countries. From the EU’s perspective, this agreement must at least include fisheries in the British North Sea.
The European Parliament will not support an agreement at any cost, several MEPs warned Wednesday during a debate on the future trade relationship. They oppose the British proposal to select only certain policy areas to negotiate and to ignore others.
Several speakers emphasized that both parties must adhere to the political declaration signed last year by the United Kingdom and the EU, which provides a clear framework for a future relationship. The EP will ultimately have to approve any new treaty. With just six months left until the end of the transition period, negotiations have reached an impasse.
“The parliament wants a new treaty with the United Kingdom based on fair competition, with clear social, labor, and climate standards. It makes sense that if a country wants access to the European market of 450 million citizens, there are conditions attached to it. Of course, we want a deal with the UK, but not at all costs. That also means we must seriously prepare for the scenario that no agreement will be reached—with all its economic consequences,” said Dutch EU rapporteur Kati Piri (PvdA). On Thursday, a resolution on the progress of the negotiations will be adopted, followed by a press conference.