Thread by @faisalislam

NEW:

Defra Committee cross party MPs release bruising report on “considerable trade friction” & “substantial” new red tape leading to “substantive & enduring” post Brexit costs for food exporters.

- Flatly contradicts in line 1, PM’s assertion of “no non tariff barriers”.

* Report calls for Govt to re-enter discussions with EU to lower new burdens on exporters through veterinary partnership. Says it wasnt achieved by Lord Frost’s negotiation “in part because Govt did not place sufficient priority on it resulting in creation of non-tariff barriers”

* the consequence so far of the non tariff barriers for food exporters, the MPs report says is not just “teething problems” but “imposing enduring costs” which may result in big business “shifting processing to the EU” and smaller businesses finding such exports “unviable”.

* While praising maintenance of zero tariffs with the deal, report also says exporters “have not received the standard of support they should have done to allow them to prepare”, saying Government help was “not sufficiently timely, targeted or joined-up” for new trade barriers

- Also says delay in introducing import checks on food imports from the EU “places British business at a competitive disadvantage, creates incentives to relocate factories and jobs to the EU and increases food safety and bio security risks” & reduces incentive for EU to negotiate

So PM asserted his deal creates “no Non Tariff Barriers to trade”.

Cross party Conservative-chaired group of MPs, after evidence from dozens impacted says new NTBs
- exist
- are substantial, making exports “unviable” for some
- result partly from Govt negotiation priorities...

Govt response to this report:

“The TCA has allowed us to take back control of our money, borders, laws and waters. It enables us to strike trade deals around world, to benefit of agri-food businesses across the UK”... stresses agrifood benefit from new trade deals and support

Helpful thread from my colleague with some of the evidence from exporters that contributed to this report:

https://twitter.com/bbcmartynoates/status/1366843552936976384?s=21

Full cross party @CommonsEFRA report here: publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmse…