The Joint Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine report on the effect of Brexit on Irish agriculture and fisheries has been published. It explores the issue under a series of headings and has produced 27 recommendations.

For the first time a question mark is put on the viability of the targets in Food Wise 2025, or even if the targets point to what is best for Irish agriculture in the new situation. The role of biofuels is considered with a recommendation that they are encouraged and promoted.

The report approaches Brexit from a worst-case scenario in which Irish agricultural exports in 2015 would have been subject to tariffs of over £1bn, and then considers alternative trading arrangements including the recently agreed deal with Canada, as well as the Norwegian and Swiss relationships with the EU.

The report recommends that the Brexit negotiations should not be used by the EU to either punish or reward the UK for its decision

It has taken evidence from the IFA, ICMSA, ICSA and Macra na Feirme, while the National Farmers' Union of Scotland made a written submission. Teagasc and Bord Bia also attended the committee to give evidence as did economist Jim Power and Professor Alan Matthews. A number of organisations representing fisheries also gave evidence.

Recommendations

The recommendations begin with challenges for the EU itself, highlighting the communication challenge for remaining members to explain the benefits of the EU as Brexit is evidence of disconnect. The report also recommends that the Brexit negotiations should not be used by the EU to either punish or reward the UK for its decision. The report is calling for objective criteria to be used in negotiation and recognises this will be a challenge.

Ireland – UK relations

On future relations between Ireland and the UK, the report recommends that Ireland has to strike a balance between support of the UK with close co-operation with the remaining 26 EU countries.

The report recognises the preference for a swift trade agreement between the EU and UK

It does not call for an advantage because of our unique trading relationship with the UK but rather says we don’t want to be placed at a unique disadvantage. The recent House of Lords report is noted but as a bilateral arrangement with the UK wont be possible, the report suggests Ireland should look for Irish derogations within an EU-UK agreement.

Comment

Committee chair Pat Deering TD, said: "The overwhelming message received from our hearings was that Brexit will inevitably result in a more difficult trading relationship with the UK. Uncertainty has led to the weakening of sterling, which is putting serious pressure on prices and exports. We are recommending that while our close proximity to the UK remains valuable, Ireland must diversify; finding new export markets for existing products and developing new products to substitute for loss of market share in the UK."

The report recognises the preference for a swift trade agreement between the EU and UK and suggests Ireland encourages other EU countries to facilitate an extension of negotiation time beyond the two years as is expected to be required. WTO tariffs are feared and the FDII suggestions on market activity and exploration of the Irish food industry being able to upscale to produce part of what is currently imported from Britain were adopted by the report.

Stay tuned to www.farmersjournal.ie for analysis of the report and see more in this week's Irish Farmers Journal print edition

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