To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the impact of the UK's exit from the EU on the cost of exporting food to the EU.
Answered on
2 May 2024
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides businesses tariff and quota free access to the EU market, provided that these goods meet ‘Rules of Origin’ requirements.
UK businesses must comply with customs procedures when exporting food. These procedures include Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) border controls as well as technical regulations, standards and conformity assessments. For some food businesses, there may be costs associated with compliance to these procedures. Before the UK left the EU, assessments were made of these costs reflecting a variety of potential trading arrangements with the EU. Work is ongoing to assess these costs now the new trading arrangements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement are being implemented.