UK approves tariff-free meat imports from Australia and NZ

The UK and EU have ratified a significant change to the Windsor Framework, allowing Northern Ireland (NI) businesses to make greater use of UK trade deals.

This change permits tariff-free imports of certain meat products from Australia and New Zealand, addressing a post-Brexit issue where NI businesses importing higher-tariff meat products could not benefit from the same arrangements as the rest of the UK.

The new arrangement means that over 13,000 tons of lamb, beef, and poultry imports will now be covered by UK tariff rate quotas. Tariffs, which are trade taxes applied to imports of some goods, will not apply to these products within the quota limits. However, imports exceeding these limits will still face tariffs.

Minister of State for Northern Ireland Steve Baker described the arrangement as unique, allowing NI importers to benefit from UK free trade agreements. He emphasized that this move would “further cement Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.” Baker also noted that while he supports free trade, it is essential to ensure that trade deals include provisions to prevent the market from being flooded with cheap produce.

The government has committed to introducing legislation to enact this change, ensuring that NI businesses can take full advantage of the benefits offered by UK trade deals.