Government makes UK-EU veterinary agreement pledge

Work to secure a new veterinary agreement will help to address existing trade “barriers” between the UK and EU, a Government minister has claimed.

Research has suggested that a new deal could increase agri-food exports by more than 20% and Labour pledged to seek talks on the subject in its election manifesto.

While fears have persisted for some time about the threat to medicine supplies to Northern Ireland, the impact on producers across the UK was highlighted in House of Commons business and trade questions today (5 September).

Current arrangements

Responding to comments from Clwyd East MP Becky Gittens that farmers in her constituency felt current arrangements “disadvantage them”, trade policy minister Douglas Alexander acknowledged the issue was “not limited” to that area.

He added: “That is why, as part of the broader resetting of our relationship with the European Union, we are determined to tackle barriers to trade such as those she describes in relation to farmers, including through the negotiation of a UK-EU veterinary agreement that will help to reduce unnecessary border checks.”

A joint paper, published by the Aston and Bristol universities in the spring, argued that agri-food exports could increase by as much as 22.5% if a new deal can be secured.

Northern Ireland supply

But one of the most pressing areas of concern remains the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland, which sector leaders fear would be slashed if the current arrangements are allowed to lapse at the end of 2025 without a permanent agreement being put in place.

Although estimates of the exact impact of no further deal vary, it is generally thought that between 30% and 50% of products would be impacted.

The North of Ireland Veterinary Association has called for the Veterinary Medicines Working Group established earlier this year to meet “at the earliest opportunity, with a view to positive and constructive engagement” with the EU.