Europatat welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the public consultation on the major review of the European Union’s trade policy launched by the European Commission. Our members support the EU’s ambition to establish a more stable and predictable rules-based international trade environment and open new markets for our products. This is especially important in today’s circumstances when many businesses have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We need a trade policy which contributes to a swift and sustainable economic recovery.
Europatat has replied to this consultation, highlighting the following:
- a well-functioning and well-regulated Internal Market is key to ensuring a strong economic recovery across Europe;
- regardless the complexity of the ongoing negotiations on the future trade relationship with the UK, the inclusion of ware potatoes and seed potatoes on the equivalency list set out under the Plant Health Regulation is vital for the future trade on potatoes between the EU and UK;
- EU’s trade environment must be based on fair and reciprocal trade and has to take into account existing international standards;
- E-certifications should be further promoted through trade agreements with non-EU countries;
- a proper stakeholder’s consultation should be done before establishing defence instruments and retaliatory tariffs by the EU.
Europatat’s contribution to this consultation will be published online at the end of the feedback process. The results of the consultation will feed into a communication to be published by the European Commission towards the end of the year.