Brexit hits again the British meat industry
UK government has delayed to address a couple of sensitive issues such as new export certification requirements and Health Marks and the situation may create losses in orders from this month onwards for product due for delivery in the new year, according to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA). A delay in recognizing Great Britain as Third Country by the European officials will have a monthly impact of £ 175 million for the industry, warns Nick Allen, Chief Executive of BMPA, "While a request has been submitted by the UK, there is currently no firm indication as to when the EU will consider and vote on formal country approval, let alone when and if plant inspections will be done.
It’s highly unlikely that the EU will refuse us Third Country status. The bigger question is when it will be granted and how much damage to our food businesses and supply chains will be done in the process," he said. Another hot issue regarding trade between the UK and the EU is the rules for imports.
Michel Barnier, the EU head negotiator explained earlier this month that the European Commission "need to know in full what a country’s rules are, [including] for imports. The same objective process applies to all listed countries". Recent speculation over whether or not Boris Johnson’s government will relax import rules and standards in order to do a deal with the United States may have prompted the EU to re-assess the Third Country approval given to the UK in August last year.
"We need all of this to happen urgently, otherwise British firms will start losing orders from this month onwards for product due for delivery in the new year," added Mr Allen.
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