• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Set For Life
      • Thunderball
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Brexit sends milk and cream sales to EU plunging by 96 per cent

Trade barriers erected in Boris Johnson’s deal have cost exporters more than £1.1 billion since the start of the year, The Food and Drink Federation said.

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2021-04-26 12:16
in Politics
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Sales of milk and cream to the European Union are down an astonishing 96 per cent – with chicken and beef not far behind – because of Brexit, startling new figures reveal.

Trade barriers erected in Boris Johnson’s deal have cost exporters more than £1.1 billion since the start of the year, The Food and Drink Federation said.

The organisation said it was “essential” that the UK urgently restarts talks with Brussels to solve the crisis, which Johnson has thus far refused to do.

The federation, which represents more than 800 companies, said the statistics showed that food and drink exports to the EU in February were worth £578.7 million – down from £1bn in February 2020.

This was marginally offset by an 9.7 per cent increase – worth £55.6m – in sales to non-EU countries in February compared with the same period last year.

While the pandemic has been a factor in slowing trade, the federation said the clear sense from their members is that Brexit has been the driving force.

Dominic Goudie, its head of international trade, said: “UK businesses continue to struggle with inconsistent and incorrect demands at EU borders.”

Small business “have been hardest hit”, he added, partly because of the collapse of the business model of lorries carrying goods from different suppliers – which has been rendered impractical after Brexit as it multiplies the amount of paperwork required.

Specific problem highlighted by the food and drink sector include customs and veterinary officials in different European countries interpreting the bloc’s new trading rules in different ways.

RelatedPosts

Ed Davey urges Keir Starmer to use Macron state visit to ‘show united front’ against Trump’s trade war

“Keir Starmer needs to listen”: Greens call for wealth tax

Panel of 2024 Labour voters say they warmed to Farage after I’m A Celeb

‘Either he’s lying or he’s stupid’: Neil Kinnock slams Farage

“The challenge is that one border official to the next might have different demands: what is acceptable in France is not acceptable in Belgium in the way you complete paperwork,” Goudie said. 

Confusion over paperwork can lead to goods being held up for hours – or, in some cases, days. A further complicating factor is that on 21 April, Brussels tightened rules for when export health certificates are required for processed foods like pork pies and lasagne.

Products entering the UK from the EU face fewer barriers, as Britain is only gradually introducing its new system of checks on goods over the course of this year.

A House of Lords committee warned last month that plant and animal checks would become a “permanent barrier” to trade, unless the UK drops its opposition to altering Johnson’s deal. 

Rejecting the prime minister’s claims that issues plaguing businesses were merely “teething problems”, the group cautioned that damaging red tape is here to stay unless a new agreement can be reached with the EU on a common set of health and safety standards.

Related: Migrants4Labour: The new political group out to give EU citizens a voice in UK politics

Tags: Brexit

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

← Top reactions as ‘Boris The Liar’ trends following reports he said ‘let the bodies pile high’ ← He has form? PM once said ‘all they have to do is clear the dead bodies away’
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

-->