Farmers’ Union of Wales responds to UK-EU agreement
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has responded following the announcement of a ‘reset’ agreement between the United Kingdom and European Union.
As part of the agreement, the UK Government states it has secured improved trading rights for food and agricultural products into the EU.
These include a new agreement that will make it easier for food and drink to be imported and exported by reducing red tape and the removal of some routine checks on animal and plant products.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed that the new agreement would make food and agricultural trade with the EU cheaper and easier and could lower food prices and increase choice on supermarket shelves.
The importance of global trade to the functioning of the Welsh food system is significant and longstanding. Welsh food and drink exports were worth £813 million in 2023, 75% of which were to countries within the EU.
Commenting following the agreement, FUW President, Ian Rickman said: “The efforts made by the UK Government to restore relations with our nearest trading partners have to be welcomed. The EU remains the largest export market for Welsh agri-food exports despite the bureaucratic disruption and red tape caused by Brexit.
“The long-term security of the EU market for the trading of agri-food products should not be underestimated given the current volatility of global markets amid tensions over tariffs.
“Whilst we await the full details, it is claimed that the revised veterinary agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks will streamline the trading of food by removing barriers and red tape. In return, the UK will agree to align with EU laws on plant and animal health requirements.
“The FUW has consistently raised its serious concerns regarding the failures of the UK Government to introduce effective border checks on EU food imports entering the UK. As such, this agreement should open the door to ensuring that both food imports and exports are subject to similar controls which provides a level playing field between UK and EU producers.
“Whilst at face value our plant and animal health requirements align with EU standards, we must consider how this may place the UK in a challenging position in future as it no longer has the power, as a formal Member State, to influence European rules and will have to accept the EU’s Court of Justice’s jurisdiction on the way they are applied.
“This, for instance, may have implications for the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, a piece of English legislation that contradicts the EU’s current ruling on Precision Bred Organisms, and one that always risked placing producers in devolved administrations at a competitive disadvantage.”
