The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has welcomed the UK government’s decision to suspend talks on a new trade deal with Canada over Canadian hormone-treated beef.
CLA president Victoria Vyvyan said imports of Canadian hormone-treated beef would be “simply too big a price to pay” for the UK.
“The UK government is right to reject the Canadian demand for the UK to allow imports of hormone-treated beef – it is simply too big a price to pay,” she said.
“British farmers rear cattle to the very highest animal welfare and environmental standards.
“It would be an unfair market for British farmers if they have to compete with imported meat produced to lower and cheaper standards than would be legal here.
“Free trade deals represent an opportunity for the UK food sector, but only if our world-class standards are protected in the process.”
‘Unwelcome news’
On the other hand, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said the suspension of trade talks with Canada is “unwelcome news”.
Head of trade policy at BCC, William Bain, said: “The suspension of trade talks with Canada is unwelcome news for UK business and the cause of deeper and freer trade.
“We had hoped at the beginning of these negotiations to secure a win-win deal for more extensive transatlantic trade in goods and services – in the interests of both sides.
“The continuity deal agreed as a response to Brexit is still in force. If both sides ratify the UK’s accession to CPTPP tariff preferences, then market access for UK goods and services is available from that trading agreement.
“But 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. Government must help these sectors through difficult times and open up new markets for our goods and services.”
Bain said trade negotiations are tough and that countries fight hard for their own national interests.
A deal in the future would boost trade and growth on both sides of the Atlantic and is possible, he said.
“We hope today’s announcement is not a permanent barrier to an improved trade deal with Canada.”
‘Disappointed but not surprised’
The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) has said it is “disappointed but not surprised” by the UK government’s decision to pause the negotiations.
The CCA said it is defending Canadian beef producers and stands behind the Canadian government “drawing a hard line” in the negotiations.
CCA president, Nathan Phinney, said: “CCA has been following the bilateral negotiations closely and has been concerned at the lack of ambition and cooperation from the UK in these negotiations.
“The Canadian beef industry is a strong advocate of free and open trade. To avoid getting a bad trade deal for Canadians, we need trade partners that want to trade fairly and not use rules and regulations to their own advantage.”
The CCA said the Canadian beef industry will continue to oppose the accession of the UK to the CPTPP until the “fundamental obstacles” to export Canadian beef to the UK are fully addressed.
“Unfortunately, the UK has shown no indication that it is prepared to fully accept Canada’s food safety system which is widely recognized as one of the finest in the world,” the association said.
“Until the UK barriers to Canadian beef are resolved, Canadian producers will continue to be at a disadvantage.
“The UK currently has unlimited access for British beef exports to Canada while Canadian beef producers are unable to export into the UK market.”
The CCA said, since the UK has not shown “willingness” to resolve the market access issue, that it is in Canada’s best interest to focus its efforts on different trade negotiations.
“Canadian beef producers would also encourage the Government of Canada to re-examine the UK’s current beef access to Canada in both the Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) and the CPTPP to ensure fairness and equitable access.”
