IDM ¦ Column
The Future UK-EU Dairy
Framework
Time is a scarce commodity in Brexit negotiations
Author: Alexander Anton, EDA Secretary General
The United Kingdom has officially left the European
Union on 31st of January 2020 – we tweeted the moment
when the European flag was withdrawn from
our neighbours’ building in Brussels, the UK Permanent
Representation that became the UK mission to the EU,
where today, the Union Jack is left alone in the wind.
On 31st December 2020, the transition period will end. The
political leadership has not taken the current sanitary crisis as a
valid reason to extend this transition and hence negotiation period.
On 9th October, we organised a Brexit workshop to take stock
of where we stand and to voice once more our dairy concerns and
interests in this process with both, the UK and the EU authorities.
Our EDA president Michel Nalet welcomed H.E. Katrina
Williams, UK Ambassador to the EU, Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, CEO
of Arla Foods Europe, and Ms Brigitte Misonne, Head of Unit
40 · November/December 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com
in DG Agri (EU Commission) for a round of high level insights
followed by an animated Q&A session with the 120 dairy executives
and experts from the UK and the EU27 on the call.
“The high number and high level participation in this call underlines
both, the crucial importance of the EU – UK dairy trade
for both sides and the huge level of commitment of the lactosphère
over the past four years to help the negotiation partners
find practical solutions”, stated Michel Nalet when highlighting
the joint DairyUK – EDA paper ‘The Future EU – UK Dairy Framework”
that was shared with both chief negotiators already back
in January 2018.
Time has become a scarce commodity…
… as any deal reached in the current ‘intensified’ negotiations will
have to go through a parliamentary ratification process on both
sides of the Channel.
H.E. Katrina Williams, UK Ambassador
to the EU, and Brigitte Misonne from DG
AGRI, stressed their willingness to reach
an agreement benefitting the two parties,
and assured they are doing their utmost to
achieve this goal.
More specifically, in her intervention,
H.E. UK Ambassador Katrina Williams informed
the audience that any agreement
on the future Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
between the EU and the UK will introduce
new border controls. Therefore, she advised
the EU on the necessity to take this
into consideration, making sure to get
ready for what will come. The UK govern
/international-dairy.com
