The British Veterinary Association (BVA) today (Monday, May 19) raised fresh questions on the issue of continued “access” to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland following confirmation of a new deal between the EU and the UK.
The BVA said it welcomed commitments in the deal on animal welfare and UK biosecurity but voiced its concerns on what it described as the “absence” of a solution to the Northern Ireland vet medicines issue.
Dr. Elizabeth Mullineaux, president of the BVA, said: “Today’s announcements coming out of the EU-UK Summit are good news, striking the right balance between reducing trade friction whilst maintaining the UK’s high standards of animal welfare and disease control.
“However, with no clear direction on the issue of access to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland, which has serious implications not only for animal health and welfare, but also public health, there is still work to do.
“A permanent resolution to this long-standing question is urgently needed and we will continue to press the government for solutions to avoid potentially devastating consequences”.
EU/UK deal
The deal between the UK and the EU – also designed to cut red tape on food and drink imports and exports – is a “welcome step”, according to the processor-led Dairy UK organisation.
Dr. Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK, said today it was particularly pleased to see a common understanding on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regulations, which she described as “a critical and welcome step forward for dairy trade”.
“As our largest and oldest trading partner, unencumbered trade with the EU is incredibly valuable for the dairy and agri-food sector and the ease in administrative requirements will be very welcome for our members,” she added.
The SPS agreement, which was announced following the first EU-UK Summit in London, will see the UK and the European Commission “work towards establishing a Common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area”.
The post-Brexit deal has been described as a “new chapter” for the UK/EU relationship and will kick start talks on a range of wider issues including security, defence and fishing access.
According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) the EU remains the UK’s most important market for agri-food exports.
It believes that any agreement that lowers trade friction, smoothing trade between the UK and the EU “would be good news for UK agricultural exporters.”
“Strengthening market access will benefit UK meat exporters, support food supply chain resilience, and reinforce the UK’s position as a key trading partner with the EU,” Ouafa Doxon, AHDB head of market access, said today.
Meanwhile the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), which is the supply industry’s leading trade association, said it also welcomed confirmation that an SPS is to be established.
In a statement it said that “divergence and duplication of SPS approaches have caused frequent, frustrating and unpredictable barriers at borders in both directions” which it said had impacted the trade of vital agricultural goods.
“This has often led to increased complexity, delays, and costs for AIC businesses exporting and importing goods between Great Britain, the EU, and Northern Ireland,” it added.
However the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) remained unconvinced by details of the new deal.
Its president Victoria Vyvyan said: “Although the EU is a key market for UK produce, and lower export costs would help make our goods more competitive for European consumers, signing up to allow the European Court of Justice to impose decisions affecting our goods is an unnecessary surrender of control.
“We need immediate reassurance that the UK will have a voice in the decision-making process in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.
“Cutting red tape on food exports and plant and animal health for trade sounds positive if unlikely, but tying us to an agreement that involves European Court of Justice oversight is deeply concerning and could hinder our ability to strike future trade deals with other countries.”
Northern Ireland
But this is in contrast to food and drink industry leaders in Northern Ireland who have welcomed details of the new EU/ UK deal.
Professor Ursula Lavery, chair of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) and technical and research and development director at Pilgrim’s Europe, said: “Since the referendum and in all subsequent negotiations, the priority for food and drink manufacturers in Northern Ireland has been for a durable negotiated solution that maintains frictionless trade and expands the opportunities for our businesses to thrive.
“The food and drink industry in Northern Ireland therefore broadly welcomes today’s announcement as a step to potentially easing the administrative burden on businesses here, and helping offset some of the significant on-costs firms have experienced recently, including national insurance rises and extended producer responsibility.”
