Defra questioned on EU Commission's ‘no deal' stakeholder advice

• Letter to Rt Hon Michael Gove MP - 21 February 2018 (pdf 94KB)
• Commission Notices to Stakeholders

Background

The European Commission is publishing a series of Notices setting out the consequences for trading and legal arrangements in the event that no Brexit deal is reached by 30 March 2019. Many are addressed to stakeholders across the food, farming and waste sectors. They state that a variety of certifications issued by the UK will no longer be valid, that certain organisations will need an EU base or representative to continue to operate in the EU, and that some food trade exports will be prohibited unless certain steps are taken.

The Committee has written to Defra's Secretary of State to ask:

• Whether the Government is seeking to get UK environment and food certifications recognised by the EU
• What assessment the Government has made of the impact on individuals, organisations and the UK economy of UK environment and food certification no longer being recognised, and of reapplying for certification
• What steps the Government is taking to ensure food of animal origin can be exported to the EU in a ‘no deal' scenario
• Whether the Government intends to provide similar advice to its own citizens working in the food, farming and waste sectors.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

Image: PA