This is a subscriber-only article
The current tariff-rate quota for lamb imports into the EU will be split 50/50 between the EU-27 and the UK after Brexit.
The quota currently allows New Zealand to ship 228,389t of duty-free sheepmeat to the EU every year.
On Monday, the Council of EU agriculture minsters voted unanimously in favour of splitting this in equal parts between the EU-27 and the UK, meaning each will accept up to 114,184t of tariff-free NZ lamb.
The rule adopted by all EU institutions is that the share of actual imports of various products into the UK and the EU-27 in the past three years, decides how quotas will be split after Brexit.
This means that the EU-27 will import 63.2% of New Zealand butter, and the vast majority of Brazilian beef, poultry and sugar products under the tariff-free quota system.
Certificates
Meanwhile, Defra officials in London have written to authorities in UK export markets to inform them of their plans for the documentation required to accompany exports of animal-based product.
Third-country partners have been asked to raise any concerns with our continued use of existing EHCs
After Brexit, Defra will continue using existing EU export health certificates (EHCs) due to all existing EU laws initially being retained in the UK.
However, some industry sources have raised questions over why Defra has left it so late to inform the UK’s export markets of its plans.
“Third-country partners have been asked to raise any concerns with our continued use of existing EHCs.
"We are working with our network of embassies to follow up the letter and ensure that it has been properly considered,” a Defra spokesperson said.
SHARING OPTIONS: