Plaid Cymru leads call for review of agricultural protections
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Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards MP has called for an
urgent review of trade protections for farmers in a House of
Commons debate he led today (16 July). Mr Edwards said
that the re-emergence of a no deal Brexit means the agricultural
industry faces a “double hit” of access to European markets closing
and trade protections being relaxed, leading to the UK being
flooded with lower-quality imports. He called for the incoming
Prime Minister to...Request free trial
Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards MP has called for an urgent review of trade protections for farmers in a House of Commons debate he led today (16 July).
Mr Edwards said that the re-emergence of a no deal Brexit means the agricultural industry faces a “double hit” of access to European markets closing and trade protections being relaxed, leading to the UK being flooded with lower-quality imports. He called for the incoming Prime Minister to urgently review the protections for the agricultural industry and to take ‘no deal’ off the table or risk irreparable economic damage to the agricultural industry and wider rural economy.
During the debate, the Agriculture Minister, Robert Goodwill MP, admitted that agriculture – and particularly lamb producers – would be placed at a significant disadvantage due to tariffs on exports and the possible closure of the normal export markets in the EU in the event of a no deal Brexit. Mr Goodwill said that “the largest economic risk to the sheep sector is the limiting or halting of exports of lamb to the EU”, going on to admit that UK lamb exports will face “tariff and non-tariff barriers in the event of a no deal Brexit.”
In March this year, the British Government set out proposed temporary tariff schedules – the taxes and quotas placed on imports – to apply in the event of a no deal exit. These tariffs act as a vital protection for farmers from cheap, generally lower-quality, imports. The British Government’s proposals for no deal would see many agricultural tariffs reduced, despite tariffs placed by other countries (including those in the EU) on UK agricultural exports being automatically introduced or maintained. For example, tariff rates of 45% for beef, 0% for eggs, 22% for poultry meat will apply for imports into the UK from the EU and the rest of the world, whilst UK exports of these products to the EU will face tariffs of 84%, 19%, and 48% respectively.
The debate was secured and led by Mr Edwards following warnings from the farming unions about the dangers of Brexit and a no deal exit from the European Union in particular. Ahead of the debate, the National Farmers Union told Plaid Cymru that a no deal Brexit would be “catastrophic”, while the Farmers Union of Wales pointed to measures being discussed and implemented that would “normally be applied in cases of war or famine” as a sign of the dangers of Brexit.
During the debate, Jonathan Edwards MP said:
“Not only does the agricultural industry now face the loss of unfettered free access to their main export market in Europe, the new tariff schedule and its accompanying quotas offer precious little protection from the domestic market being flooded by lower standard food products from around the world.
“This is a double hit which will be too much for many farmers in my constituency and beyond.
“I cannot emphasise the dangers to the industry enough.”
Calling on the British Government to review its approach to trade protections, the Plaid Cymru MP said:
“If the next Prime Minister insists on keeping the myth of a no deal alive, I would urge him to revisit the proposed tariff schedules as a matter of priority, with a view to ensuring that protections are maintained rather than eroded or removed completely.”
NFU Cymru Director, John Mercer, said ahead of the debate:
“Europe is our key and essential trading partner with over 70% of Wales food and drink exports destined for this vital market including around 40% of Wales lamb production.
“It is absolutely clear that a no deal scenario will be catastrophic for Welsh and indeed British agriculture. A scenario where Welsh farmers have to operate under the “no deal” default of WTO tariffs will have devastating effects and will severely threaten the livelihoods and business of Welsh farmers. The economic damage as well as the associated social and cultural impacts are extremely worrying.
“It is crucial therefore that UK Government does all in its power to avoid this disruption and ensure we are able to continue to have free and frictionless trade with the EU.”
Ahead of the debate, Glyn Roberts, President of the Farmers Union of Wales, said:
"Tariffs and other barriers mean we would lose markets for agricultural produce and severe the thousands of established supply chains which criss-cross the North and Irish Seas, the English Channel and the Irish border; and where trade does take place it would favour EU and other importers because the UK Government has set the tariffs they would pay at a fraction of those which would be charged by the EU on our exports.
"It says it all that the prospect of a hard Brexit means a rich and highly developed state is stockpiling food and hoping to use an exemption to WTO rules on the Irish border [to waive import tariffs] which would more normally be applied in cases of war or famine. Yet this situation is not compulsory; this is a crisis which in fact we can easily avoid by acting in the best interests of our four nations; by withdrawing Article 50 and telling people honestly why Brexit must take place over a safe and realistic timetable."
ENDS
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