By D. W .G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
Aiming for a Smoother Trade Relationship
The UK government is preparing to negotiate a comprehensive new agri food agreement with the European Union, aimed at alleviating the trade challenges between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. During his visit to Belfast, Nick Thomas Symonds, the minister for the constitution and European relations, expressed his hope that formal negotiations could commence early next year. In meetings with Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir and the Windsor Framework committee's leadership at Stormont, Thomas Symonds emphasized the importance of prioritizing Northern Ireland in the forthcoming discussions with the EU.
"We voted for the Windsor Framework as an opposition party," Thomas Symonds stated, highlighting the significance of implementing the framework in good faith for a successful sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. He acknowledged that the agreement would not materialize overnight and would require careful negotiation. Conversations with the EU are ongoing, but Thomas Symonds noted that a new commission would not be in place until later this year, with formal negotiations expected to start early next year. He expressed optimism that an ambitious SPS agreement would significantly ease GB/NI trade issues.
Potential Benefits and Strategic Goals
An SPS agreement focuses on food safety and the health of animals and plants. The Labour Party has already indicated its intention to secure an agreement that allows the seamless trade of retail agri food goods, plants, seed potatoes, and other items between the UK and EU. This initiative aims to eliminate the majority of border checks introduced by the current Brexit deal, which has created a visible and contentious Irish Sea border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The envisioned agreement could effectively remove these physical trade barriers, simplifying the movement of goods and reducing the bureaucratic hurdles faced by businesses. In practical terms, if a deal successfully ends checks on goods moving from Calais to Dover, it would also eliminate checks from Cairnryan to Belfast, thereby streamlining the trade process and fostering a more integrated market. The government's proactive stance in negotiating this agreement underscores its commitment to mitigating post Brexit trade disruptions and enhancing economic stability in Northern Ireland.
