The National Farmers’ Federation welcomes today’s announcement that the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement will enter into force on 31 May 2023. The FTA improves access to an important market for Australian farmers and will allow them to diversify their markets. It will importantly give UK customers the option of sustainable, high quality Australian produce on supermarket shelves to complement their existing home-grown options.
The agreement will eliminate tariffs on over 99% of Australian goods to the UK. It includes elimination of all tariffs on wine, medium- and -short grain rice, honey, most seafood, processed foods, nuts, fruit and vegetables.
As reported on nff.org.au, the deal also establishes enhanced cooperation on key regulatory issues, including biosecurity, animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance.
NFU response
NFU President Minette Batters responds to the Trade and Agriculture Commission’s report into the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and Australia. She said: “As the first deal to be struck under our new independent trade policy, this FTA provided a chance to set the standard for future deals which incentivise trade in food produced to higher environmental and animal welfare standards.”
“However, it is clear from this report that the UK government has missed the opportunity to reach a genuinely innovative and world-class FTA with Australia. While it is reassuring that this deal will not result in a change in production standards here, the report confirms that this FTA simply opens up UK agricultural markets for Australian produce, whether or not produced to the same standards that are legally required of UK farmers.”
“This deal will pave the way for others to follow and I’m increasingly concerned about the cumulative impact of the government’s FTA programme, especially as its own impact assessments anticipate a negative economic impact on UK farmers.”
Source: nfuonline.com