Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture expressed concerns on Wednesday 13 January about the implementation of the trade and cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom, particularly with regard to new Geographical Indications (GIs), organic farming and sanitary and phytosanitary controls on products from the UK.
“The agreement is a solid and excellent basis for the continuation of trade and commerce in agricultural products between the two parties”, said the representative of the European Commission.
New Geographical Indications. In response to concerns expressed in particular by Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italy) and Paolo De Castro (S&D, Italy), the Commission indicated that the agreement did not include a chapter on GIs. “Existing stocks of GIs are guaranteed and will continue to apply indefinitely”.
There is no timetable on new GIs, the Commission said. Operators are free to apply for registration of new GIs in accordance with UK legislation.
Organic farming. The EU/UK agreement provides for equivalence between the organic legislation of both parties, including the control system (compliance with current EU rules). When the new EU organic legislation comes into force (2022), “a clause provides for a reassessment of the rules and we will see if equivalence recognition can continue so that products can continue to circulate between the two countries”, the Commission said. “If we find that the UK does not comply with the essential elements of the new legislation and equivalence would not be guaranteed, either party has the option of suspending recognition bilaterally until the other party complies” the Commission added.
Product replacement. With regard to ‘swaps’ (a solution that exists for sugar and sheep meat and, to a lesser extent, for beef and dairy products), safeguard mechanisms are provided for in the WTO framework. “But there are no bilateral safeguards in the event of an agricultural swap risk. It is a deliberate choice”, said the Commission, answering questions from Zbigniew Kuźmiuk (ECR, Poland).
‘SPS’ controls. On this subject, raised in particular by Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, Germany), the Commission assured that sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls are carried out as for any other non-Member State. “We are not going to lower our level of protection. This is non-negotiable and has never been negotiable”, hammered home the DG SANCO representative.
“All goods entering the EU and Northern Ireland from the UK are checked”, (animal and plant products).
As regards pesticides and GMOs, all commodities from the UK will be checked, the Commission said. Products that do not comply with EU requirements (including maximum residue limits) will not be allowed to enter the EU. During the negotiations, the United Kingdom wanted to be able to deviate from EU rules. “Finally, there are no provisions in the agreement that would allow for negotiations to take place on the level of control for food entering the EU”, the Commission said. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)