While welcoming the approval by the Twenty-Seven of an agreement they describe as a "new step towards an orderly Brexit”, the EU's agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) noted on Friday 30 November that "there is still work to be done and uncertainties remain in respect of negotiations on future relations between the EU and the United Kingdom".
Copa-Cogeca stresses that the European Council's approval of the agreement on the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU minimises the prospect of a ‘hard Brexit', which would be catastrophic for the European and British agricultural communities.
These organisations point out that 60% of the United Kingdom's agri-food exports are made to EU countries. In addition, EU-27 exports represent, on average, between 70% and 99% of UK imports.
Copa-Cogeca urges MEPs and UK MPs to "quickly conclude the withdrawal process and do everything possible to avoid a no-deal situation".
It welcomes the planned transitional period between the parties that is to last until the end of 2020 as this will "eliminate some of the risk of trade being disrupted and will avoid additional costs for our members". This period of time is essential to allow cooperatives to prepare for any possible changes to the customs regime. According to professionals in the sector, additional customs or health procedures should be avoided during the transitional period.
Copa-Cogeca welcomes the agreement intended to protect existing geographical indications approved by the EU.
It also welcomes the ‘backstop’ as a way of “avoiding a return to a hard (physical) border” between the British province of Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Organisations and cooperatives are reacting positively to the political declaration that matches their "appeal to maintain the closest commercial relations possible". They are in support of a future economic partnership that will ensure trade "without customs duties, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions in all sectors". (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)