UK food and drink industry calls for agreement on future trade with Ireland
"This is of particular importance in the case of the Republic of Ireland, our only land border with the EU. It buys more from us than the United States, China, Russia, Brazil, Canada and Japan combined. Nearly a fifth of UK food and drink exports go to Ireland, with more than a third of Ireland’s reaching UK shores."
"The seamless single market in food and drink across the UK and Ireland allows the free movement of goods and workers. It also means that the majority of food sourced in Ireland from EU and international sources, particularly fresh produce, arrives via ports and supply chains from across the whole of the UK. This complete interdependence is essential to ensuring our food security and to feeding both countries."
"We represent the UK’s agri-food and drink sector. It employs 4 million people or 13.5 per cent of the UK workforce. Our industry needs Government to ensure existing tariff-free trading arrangements between the UK and Ireland are maintained."
"New disruptive customs barriers, port health controls and other costly bureaucratic requirements that impede the movement of goods and workers must be avoided. They would disrupt established supply chain networks that operate across the UK and Ireland and would cause significant economic damage while adding to existing food price inflation faced by consumers."
"A cliff-edge scenario that results in a sudden transformation to our trading arrangements with Ireland would be hugely damaging for our industry and for the wider economy on both sides of the border."
"We are pleased that the Prime Minister is seeking a ‘frictionless’ border between the UK and Ireland post-Brexit. It is imperative that once Article 50 is triggered the future border arrangements are high on the target list for prompt resolution. Government should make a clear and early statement of principle that it is committed to maintaining this trade with Ireland and that it will make it a priority in negotiations."
For more information:
Siân Thomas
FPC Fresh Produce Consortium
Tel: +44 (0)1733 405792
Mob: +44 (0)7584 995903
[email protected]
fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk
