Decline in British Farm Exports to EU Since Brexit
Exports of British farm products to the European Union have decreased by nearly 40% in the five years following the UK's departure from the EU in 2020, underscoring the trade barriers that have emerged as a result of Brexit.
An analysis of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data conducted by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) reveals that sales of British agricultural goods, including beef and cheddar cheese, have fallen by 37.4% since 2019, the last full year before Brexit.
The poultry sector has experienced the most significant decline, with exports down 37.7%. This is followed by beef exports, which have decreased by 23.6%, lamb by 14%, and dairy products by 15.6%.
NFU Perspective on Brexit Impact
Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, acknowledged that not all of the export decline can be attributed solely to Brexit but emphasized that the figures illustrate the considerable damage caused by the UK’s exit from the EU.
“Simply reducing friction doesn’t mean we are going to get the EU market back again. There aren’t empty spaces on the shelves with a label saying ‘waiting for British products’.”
He cautioned that eliminating trading barriers will not immediately restore the British food sector’s position in the EU market.
“Rebuilding demand will take time, effort and real focus,”
Bradshaw added, indicating that recovery from Brexit-related losses could take several years.
UK-EU Political Engagement to Address Trade Issues
This analysis emerges as the UK and EU prepare to establish fortnightly political phone meetings aimed at facilitating smooth negotiations on farming and other aspects of the UK-EU relationship reset. These talks are planned to continue until the next leaders’ summit, scheduled for May or June.
On the sidelines of the recent trade deal review, Cabinet Office and EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič held a bilateral meeting. They agreed that formalising regular talks would help address potential issues promptly before they escalate.
A government source noted that while relations between Thomas-Symonds and Šefčovič are positive, there is a mutual desire to institutionalise political-level negotiations leading up to the summit.
“We want to step the political engagement up even further to iron out issues and drive forward negotiations. Both sides are keen to get positive results and keep building,”
the source said.
Challenges in UK-EU Defence Cooperation
The collapse of discussions regarding the UK’s full participation in the EU’s €150 billion Safe defence programme has been described as an unnecessary failure of diplomacy.
The EU had proposed a €2 billion contribution for membership, whereas the UK was prepared to contribute only “hundreds of millions.” Many observers believed this financial gap could have been bridged through political dialogue, given both parties’ shared interest in strengthening European defence amid a perceived US strategic withdrawal.
NFU Requests in Trade Deal Negotiations
In the short term, the NFU is advocating for provisions in the trade deal that would grant British farmers adequate time to transition to new regulations applicable to the Great Britain market.
Additionally, the NFU seeks certain exemptions to protect areas of progress and innovation. For instance, England has advanced more rapidly than the EU in approving gene editing techniques to develop disease-resistant crops.
“The EU is behind us, but moving in the same direction on plants. My argument to the EU is if you genuinely want to adopt this in the EU, don’t put the handbrake on the UK,”
Bradshaw stated.
He further noted that outside the EU, the UK has been able to expedite approvals for vaccines targeting diseases such as tuberculosis and avian influenza, as well as authorise certain plant protection products, including fungicides used in cereal cultivation.
Bradshaw emphasized that the trade agreement should acknowledge the UK’s advancements and, if the EU is pursuing similar regulatory directions, it should agree to “carve outs and transition arrangements.”
He argued that a sufficient transition period is essential to prevent crops legally grown under current Great Britain regulations prior to any agreement from becoming unsellable post-deal.
