Minister says Britain has not ruled out EU food trade deal
The UK has left open the possibility of following EU rules for food and agricultural products in a bid to return to frictionless access to European markets, the business secretary said.
Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC such a deal – which reduces all trade barriers in return for mirroring EU rules and standards – would not cross the government’s red lines.
His comments come after EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told the BBC A new agreement, including so-called dynamic alignment on standards, is possible with other areas of pan-European cooperation on customs.
Reynolds met with Sefcovic at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.
He said he thanked his EU counterpart for his “incredibly positive” and “supportive” comments. Reynolds says Sefcovic’s tone echoed what the government had already said about a “twin-track strategy” on trade.
“We can improve the terms of trade with the EU in a way that doesn’t rehash the arguments for customs unions or single markets or Brexit, and we can do this by pursuing closer trade links around the world,” Reynolds said. Can do.”
Labor led the UK general election last year with a manifesto pledge to eliminate Brexit-related barriers and red tape to exports of food and agricultural products to the EU.
The question has always been how deep such an agreement can go. This could be decided in the coming weeks, although firm decisions have not been made yet.
On Thursday the EU suggested to the BBC that the complete elimination of barriers in this area would be possible if the UK followed relevant EU rules and standards as they change, a process known as “dynamic alignment”. goes.
Speaking to the BBC in Davos, Reynolds said both the ideas floated by Sefcovic – a fully vetted agreement with dynamic alignment – and a pan-European customs scheme did not break the government’s red lines.
But Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention He said it did not cross red lines because “it is not a customs union”.
Asked whether the “full-fat veterinary agreement with dynamic alignment” crossed red lines: “No, it’s part of our manifesto, an SPS agreement, a veterinary agreement.”
The Conservatives have voiced anger at reports of a potential new deal on UK-EU trade, with shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel telling MPs the Government was “bending the knee to the EU”.
“These latest reports that the Government could take us into the EU are deeply concerning, and make clear once again that Keir Starmer and his chums are all too happy to put their ideology ahead of our national interest No matter the cost,” he said.
But Liberal Democrats have said the government is not doing enough to ensure smooth trade with the EU.
“It’s time for a fair UK-EU customs arrangement so we can strengthen our negotiations with Donald Trump, cut red tape on our businesses and boost the economy,” party leader Sir Ed Davey told the Commons. Can increase.”
Reynolds told the BBC he was preparing the UK’s case to avoid potential US tariffs on exports, after President Donald Trump suggested the world might have to pay trillions of dollars to access markets in the US.
