DEFRA minister quizzed by trade on timetables and trade-route worries

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 01 December, 2017

Disruption at ports like Dover and the impact of drawn-out Brexit negotiations were two of the concerns raised at a meeting of the trade and Defra Food and Drink Minister, George Eustice.

The seminar, which was organised by the WSTA, aimed to focus on how the UK wine and spirit trade can best prepare for Brexit what the government is doing to support trade in the interim.

At the meeting, which also gave producers, importers and logistic providers an opportunity to voice concerns, there were calls for an implementation period to be confirmed as soon as possible as uncertainty around Brexit negotiations continues.

There were also calls for the UK to join the World Wine Trade Group.

Regarding the flow trade across key ports and entry points between the UK and Europe, the MP said the government is planning for “all scenarios” and in the event of a hard Brexit it was “open to a risk based approach to inspections and border checks”.

He also said a ‘cliff edge’ Brexit this would not lead to disaster: “For business, day one of being outside the EU should feel very similar to the final day of being in the European Union, because the legal system and the laws that we have in place will be the same.”

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