BMPA wants a new veterinary agreement between the UK and EU
A war on British sausages may add consumers as losers, in the end, warns the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA). Currently, technical agreements signed between the UK and EU forbids the import of raw sausages or minced meat due to safety reasons invoked by EU authorities.
That is, technically British sausages cannot enter and be marketed in the EU, although these products have continued to enter through Northern Ireland thanks to the grace period established in the Brexit protocol with that area.
Now, the British government proposes that said grace period be extended in time, or a new permanent agreement for sausages be negotiated. This proposal has been rejected by the EU as it is interpreted as a new attempt by the United Kingdom to skip the agreed rules and also for the fear that the country will relax internally its food safety rules now that it must not follow the rules rigidly marked by the EU.
The UK insists that their standards are comparable to those of the EU and that they have no intention of changing them. At the same time, they ask the EU for flexibility to accept standards from third countries that, without being the same as the EU ones, are comparable.
Regarding the current situation with Northern Ireland, they point out that since that area is part of the United Kingdom, the door should be kept open to sausages since, in fact, it should not be considered an export trade at this time.
If anything, industry associations representing companies in the British food supply chain have come together to propose in a report a new urgent veterinary agreement and streamlined processes to resolve crippling restrictions on exports to the EU. So far, the idea was well received in Brussels, with EC representatives indicated that the EU is open to a new Veterinary Agreement that it says could be implemented temporarily while other solutions are explored.
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