Seafood and Meat Exports to the EU

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Jan 2021 Closed: 24 Nov 2021 Parliament page
Delays at the UK/EU border have meant that seafood and meat exporters to the EU have reported losing money and trade since the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1st. In this inquiry the EFRA Committee is looking at what caused the delays; the impact of the new … Read more
7 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
1 Letter
4 Events
Activity timeline 10 events
12 Jul
2021
Report published
29 Apr
2021
Report published
22 Apr
2021
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Virtual meeting
25 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
25 Mar
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
16 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
16 Mar
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
2 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
2 Mar
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
29 Jan
2021
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
25 Mar 2021
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
David Kennedy · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Ian Hewett · Animal and Plant Health Agency
16 Mar 2021
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Eddie Green · DFDS (UK) Gary McFarlane · Chartered Institute for Environmental Health James Russell · British Veterinary Association (BVA) Richard Ballantyne · British Ports Association Shane Brennan · Cold Chain Federation
2 Mar 2021
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Charlie Dewhirst · National Pig Association Dan Phipps · National Sheep Association Martyn Youell · Waterdance Mr Nick Allen · British Meat Processors Association Mrs Donna Fordyce · Seafood Scotland Sarah Horsfall · Shellfish Association of Great Britain
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat exports to the EU HC 1189 29 Apr 2021 13 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
1 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
We welcome the successful negotiation of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) with the EU,...
We welcome the successful negotiation of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) with the EU, and its preservation of tariff and quota free trade for seafood and meat. However, the Agreement introduces substantial non-tariff barriers for such exports, in particular … Read more
Government Response
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) represents a major achievement in facilitating trade between the UK and the EU, delivering a deal for the UK in record time, and under … Read more
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2 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
We commend seafood and meat exporters on their efforts to prepare for the new trading...
We commend seafood and meat exporters on their efforts to prepare for the new trading environment with the EU amidst the covid-19 pandemic, and acknowledge the considerable uncertainty of what they were preparing for. In as much as this uncertainty … Read more
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3 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
The Government should also have worked more closely with the EU and Members States to...
The Government should also have worked more closely with the EU and Members States to test systems in advance of 1 January, pre-empting some of the teething problems exporters faced in January. The UK Government should learn from this, and … Read more
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4 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
Since the Transition Period ended, Defra has worked with stakeholders to resolve these teething problems...
Since the Transition Period ended, Defra has worked with stakeholders to resolve these teething problems and we commend its efforts. However, the new non-tariff barriers for exporters to the EU will impose substantive and enduring costs. As a result, larger … Read more
Government Response
Defra welcomes the Committee’s recognition of its efforts to resolve the issues faced by exporters at the start of the year, as the country transitioned towards a new trading relationship … Read more
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5 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
The Government took early steps to secure a significant increase in capacity to deal with...
The Government took early steps to secure a significant increase in capacity to deal with the substantial increase in demand for certification officers, and there does not appear to have been significant shortages. However, we note that increased demands for … Read more
Government Response
Defra welcomes the Committee’s recognition of the work taken to increase certifier capacity before 01 January 2021. Between January 2021 and April 2021, Defra, APHA and FSA made a group … Read more
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6 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
There is merit in exploring the creation of a public sector service of full-time certifying...
There is merit in exploring the creation of a public sector service of full-time certifying officers, especially given the Government’s desire to increase food and drink exports. This could increase confidence that EHCs would be promptly certified and provide a … Read more
Government Response
Official Veterinarians in Great Britain operate in the commercial Official Veterinarian (OV) market and we have no plans to change that. However, we always look to learn from how other … Read more
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7 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
Digital certification of EHCs is a vital step to reducing trade friction with the EU.
Digital certification of EHCs is a vital step to reducing trade friction with the EU. We acknowledge that the Government cannot require the European Union to accept electronic certification for GB seafood and meat exports. Nevertheless, the Government should make … Read more
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8 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
While the Seafood Disruption Support Scheme helped to compensate some SME seafood businesses for the...
While the Seafood Disruption Support Scheme helped to compensate some SME seafood businesses for the teething problems they faced in January, it did not offer compensation to businesses who had incurred costs preparing for the new trading environment with the … Read more
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9 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
Certification of Export Health Certificates have created additional costs to businesses, which fall disproportionately on...
Certification of Export Health Certificates have created additional costs to businesses, which fall disproportionately on SMEs. Defra should explore a version of the Movement Assistance Scheme that supports businesses with the cost of exporting seafood and meat and other food. … Read more
Government Response
Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. To ensure successful delivery of the Northern Ireland Protocol, and recognising that the unique requirements for moving goods within the … Read more
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10 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
As the problems that faced exporters in January highlighted, groupage is an important part of...
As the problems that faced exporters in January highlighted, groupage is an important part of the export process especially for smaller businesses. With the new requirements for Export Health Certificates and other red tape when exporting seafood and meat to … Read more
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11 Conclusion
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
Many production grounds for LBM in England and Wales are predominantly Class B under the...
Many production grounds for LBM in England and Wales are predominantly Class B under the current arrangements, and therefore produce from them is ineligible for export to the EU unless purified first. We welcome the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) April … Read more
Government Response
Prior to EU exit, the Shellfish Stakeholder Working Group, chaired by the Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB), commissioned a study from Seafish into official controls on shellfish to inform … Read more
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12 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
Great Britain should have introduced SPS checks on all EU imports from 1 January 2021...
Great Britain should have introduced SPS checks on all EU imports from 1 January 2021 to match the position taken by the EU. The continued absence of SPS checks and controls on EU imports undermines the competitiveness of British seafood … Read more
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13 Recommendation
Eighth Report - Seafood and meat e…
As this Report highlights, the TCA has introduced considerable trade friction for seafood and meat...
As this Report highlights, the TCA has introduced considerable trade friction for seafood and meat exporters. We welcome the Government’s willingness to engage with the EU to seek an equivalence mechanism on agri-foods. The Government should engage with the EU … Read more
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Correspondence 1 letter
29 Jan 2021 From committee Letter to Secretary of State on fisheries exports
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