The Maltsters' Association of Great Britain – Written Evidence (JTN0037)

Japan trade and the British malting sector

Japan is the single largest export destination for UK malt with up to 90,000 tonnes exported annually to Japanese brewers, distillers and food customers. UK malt is recognised as high quality by Japanese customers and there is a good opportunity to increase export tonnages.
The MAGB, on behalf of its member companies welcomes the new trade agreement between the UK and Japan. We look forward to continued growth in sales of malt and associated products with Japan and are keen to work with DTI to achieve this.
There is currently no import duty applied to malt in Japan, via a quota system for Japanese importers and it is good to see that this will continue in the new deal. As far as we can see the new deal offers the same benefits as the existing system.
It is important that future UK food regulations, if changed, are at least equivalent to those in the EU so that this does not put the UK at a disadvantage compared to EU competitors.

Answers to the specific questions asked:

What are the specific provisions on malt that make it “more generous” than JEEPA (as opposed to easier to access)? We can see nothing that makes it ‘more generous’
It seems that the UK always had access to Japan’s global quota for malt. What does this letter change? Does it legally oblige Japan to keep aside a share of the global quota for the UK? The letter does not change anything though it reassures that the existing quota for tariff free imports continues. We are unable to comment on the legal aspects of the letter.