Britain’s post-Brexit trade talks with Canada break down as they disagree over beef and cheese

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The British authorities has known as off post-Brexit trade talks with Canada after discussions broke down over disagreements associated to the import and export of beef and cheese.

The two nations have been negotiating a brand new trade deal over the previous two years since Britain totally left the European Union. Trade between the 2 has largely continued beneath the identical deal that was initially brokered when Britain was a member of the bloc.

In an announcement late Thursday, the U.Okay. authorities stated it “remains open” to restarting talks sooner or later however that there was no progress thus far. Annual trade between the 2 nations is valued at round 26 billion kilos ($33 billion).

Over time as the discussions pushed forward, Canadian negotiators got here beneath mounting strain from their beef business and home cheesemakers.

The beef business wished entry to the United Kingdom for its hormone-fed beef whereas the cheesemakers warned in regards to the financial impression of tariff-free cheese from Britain, primarily cheddar. Tariff-free cheese exports from Britain stopped on the finish of 2023 after a time-limited aspect settlement expired, leaving British producers going through larger duties of 245%.

Canada’s trade minister, Mary Ng, stated on X, previously recognized as Twitter, that the Canadian authorities “will never agree to a deal that isn’t good for our workers, farmers and businesses.”#

Minette Batters, president of the Nation Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, praised the British authorities, particularly its obvious refusal to permit hormone-linked beef to be allowed into Britain.

“Trade on agricultural merchandise is all the time the very first thing to be mentioned and the very last thing to be agreed,” she said. “I am pleased the government has stuck to its line and not given way,”

One of the main benefits that was being pushed during Britain’s 2016 referendum on its membership of the EU was that it would allow the country to pursue its independent trade policy.

However, few new trade deals have been negotiated since Brexit, and any ensuing benefits are widely considered to be modest when put against the impediments to trade that have now been put in place between Britain and the EU. Before Brexit, Britain could trade freely within the bloc.

Britain’s Conservative government, which negotiated the post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, sought to downplay the breakdown in the talks with Canada.

“It is a benefit of our independent trading status that we are able to insist on the detail of each and every deal to ensure that it works, specifically in the U.K. interests,” stated Camilla Marshall, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“We are open to restarting talks with Canada sooner or later the place we will construct a buying and selling relationship that advantages companies and shoppers on each side,” she added. “There is no schedule for those.”

With the talks breakdown, there are renewed worries British cars could see higher tariffs from April on exports, when another temporary tariff-free agreement — similar to the one involving cheese — is due to expire.

The British Chambers of Commerce said the breakdown in the talks was “unwelcome news” and urged the government to help sectors affected.

“For our dairy exporters and parts of our manufacturing industry the loss of key trade preferences puts them in a worse position than before 2020,” stated William Bain, the chamber’s trade coverage chief.

Britain’s major opposition Labour Party, which is way forward of the Conservatives in polls forward of a basic election someday this 12 months, stated the collapse of the talks was one other “vital failure” by the federal government to ship on its post-Brexit guarantees.