08.06.2020
The fourth round of negotiations between the EU and the United Kingdom has ended without any progress. The European umbrella organization of farmers’ and cooperatives, COPA-COGECA, warns of an impending “no deal” and suggests transitional arrangements to prevent agricultural and food trade from collapsing on January 31, 2021. The British side is not moving, complained EU negotiators Michel Barnier. Although the United Kingdom agrees to at least prevent any setbacks in food standards, the British do not want to enshrine this in a trade agreement because they fear losing their national independence. The quota- and duty-free agricultural and food trade must remain, warns COPA-COGECA. Fair competition and joint development of standards are prerequisites for this. To achieve this, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) must work closely with the British Food Standards Agency (FSA). Transitional arrangements would give more time to discuss difficult points in peace, according to the umbrella organization. Negotiations are to continue at the end of June with fewer participants in order to be able to better explore the scope for maneuver, Barnier announced. Source: AIZ info
