Agreement reached to ‘slash red tape’ on food products, in exchange for extended EU access to fishing waters

The deal – which will grant EU fishers access to British waters for an additional 12 years – will remove checks on a significant number of food products as well as a deeper defence partnership and agreements on carbon taxes.

The UK said the deal would make “food cheaper, slash red tape, open up access to the EU market”. But the trade-off for the deal was fishing access and rights for an additional 12 years – more than the UK had offered – which is likely to lead to cries of betrayal from the industry.

The two sides will also begin talks for a “youth experience scheme”, first reported in the Guardian, which could allow young people to work and travel freely in Europe again and mirror existing schemes the UK has with countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

The government said it would put £360m of modernisation support back into coastal communities as part of the deal, a tacit acknowledgment of the concession.

  • rah@feddit.ukOPEnglish
    59·
    4 days ago

    Oh look! We can make beneficial treaties with the EU without being a member! Yay brexit!

    Edit: not /s

    • essell@lemmy.worldEnglish
      111·
      4 days ago

      Feels like when a bunch of kids steal my shirt and throw it around. Then when I finally catch it I think I’ve won. Except all I did really was get my shirt back and they’ve thrown my shoes in the bushes.

    • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
      81·
      4 days ago

      Yep. By following EU rules on the items we sell. With no control of those rules. Exactly as remainers claimed.

      • rah@feddit.ukOPEnglish
        22·
        4 days ago

        By following EU rules on the items we sell.

        On items we sell to the EU. Critical omission.

        • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
          31·
          4 days ago

          Nope. We are required to keep our food standards equal to the EU.

          So also on items we sell to ourselves. Not an omission at all. And the very point that brexiters kept arguing. We have always been able to sell to other nations using Thier standards. We are not allowed to accept other standards.

          • rah@feddit.ukOPEnglish
            13·
            4 days ago

            also on items we sell to ourselves

            You’re claiming that the deal with the EU contains clauses which obligate the UK to use the EU’s rules for food sold domestically in the UK?

              • mbirth@lemmy.mlEnglish
                2·
                4 days ago

                Central to the agreement is the new agrifoods deal, known as an SPS agreement, which removes red tape on food and drink exports, removing some routine checks on animal and plant products completely. In return, the UK will accept some dynamic alignment on EU food standards and a role for the European court of justice in policing the deal.

              • rah@feddit.ukOPEnglish
                11·
                4 days ago

                I can’t see any mention of domestic sales, could you quote the part you’re referring to?

                • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
                  21·
                  4 days ago

                  Reread.

                  Alignment of UK food standards. Means our own standards must continue to meet the EUs.

                  This is the only reason the EU will ever accept removal of documentation confirming the standards followed in food it will eat.

                  And exactly what remainers claimed about EU trade throughout the ref.

                  It is also the exact reason the US trade deals keep failing. Their food standards do not meet ours. So importing US food into the UK would mean deals like this. Where our food standards must align are impossible.

                  It really is not that complex. If your standards don’t meet those of the folks your selling to. Your companies are required to proove the items sold meet their standards not yours. Hence all the last 4 years of difficulties selling to the EU. Has been created by brexiters insisting we should not follow EU aligned standards. Creating the same mountains of paperwork any nation with differing standards face selling to the EU.

                  The same reason the US wants us to accept chlorinated chicken. So they do not have to proove all their chicken is kept to the same standards we currently require.

                  They can sell chicken to us now if they are willing to breed it as we do and provide evidence at each import that they did so. Just like we are with the EU now.

                  But a trade deal giving them simple trade would require alignment between our rules.

                  All those ISO EN and CE standards you see on electronics and toys. Are the same thing for non food standards. If China wants to sell crap to the UK they need that documention. Of course it’s up to the UK to enforce those standards. Hence why non aligned crap gets in. But food tends to be closer watched.

                  • rah@feddit.ukOPEnglish
                    1·
                    2 days ago

                    Alignment of UK food standards.

                    Doesn’t contain the words “domestic sales” and is ambiguous and open to interpretation.

                    Means our own standards must continue to meet the EUs.

                    I couldn’t find any explanation of what this means, or the text of the agreement. How have you determined that “standards” relate to domestic sales?