EU-NZ deal more favourable than UK’s
Two Scottish Ministers have hit out at the UK Government’s trade deal with New Zealand, noting the EU has secured more favourable terms for its farmers.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Trade Minister Ivan McKee pointed to a ‘stark contrast’ between the two agreements, with the EU securing the same market access for its exporters but seemingly better safeguards for domestic producers.
The pair went on to warn the UK deal has left Scottish farmers on an unlevel playing field.
In a joint letter to UK Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt, Ms Gougeon and Mr McKee said: “The UK’s deal emphasises the futility and economic self-harm of the UK Government leaving the EU, making its own trade agreements and then ending up with a worse deal than if we had stayed in the EU.”
In the first year of its Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the UK will allow 12,000 tonnes of New Zealand beef into the UK, while the EU has agreed to only 3,333 tonnes across all 27 EU countries.
By year 15, the UK Government will allow 60,000 tonnes of New Zealand beef into the UK and after that an unlimited quantity, while the EU will cap imports at 10,000 tonnes and still apply a 7.5 per cent tariff.
Ewan Pate / Farmers Guardian
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