The Council of EU agriculture minsters voted unanimously this Monday in favour of splitting the tariff-rate quota for lamb exports in equal parts between the EU and the UK after Brexit.

According to this final decision, current quota allows New Zealand to ship 228,389t of duty-free sheepmeat to the EU every year. This will be split evenly between the UK and the group of remaining EU 27 members states. Each will accept up to 114,184t of tariff-free NZ lamb after the UK leaves the EU.

The rule adopted by all EU institutions is that the share of actual imports between the UK and the EU 27 in the past three years decides quotas will be split after Brexit.

This means that the EU will also continue to import 63.2% of New Zealand butter, and the vast majority of Brazilian beef, poultry and sugar products under tariff-free quota so far.

The same rule will apply to all other agri-food products in the tariff-rate quota system after Brexit.

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EU ministers approve Brexit plan for NZ lamb imports

This is the final green light for a proposal splitting lamb import quotas 50/50 between the EU and the UK after Brexit.