A trade war with the European Union could have a devastating impact on Britain’s export market and should be “avoided at all costs”, representative body Salmon Scotland has warned.
Pointing to ongoing media reports that suggest UK government ministers want to urgently amend the Northern Ireland protocol, which has in turn sparked concerns of retaliatory action by the EU, Salmon Scotland highlighted that Scottish salmon is the UK’s biggest fresh food export, with sales of £372 million to EU countries last year.
As well as accounting for 61% of global Scottish salmon exports, the sector makes a huge contribution to the UK economy and supports thousands of jobs in rural Scotland, it has advised.
“As the political rhetoric ramps up, the wider interests of all exporters to continental Europe are not being considered,” Salmon Scotland Chief Executive, Tavish Scott, said.
“Like many sectors, our members have spent months addressing the challenges of Brexit, including the extra paperwork required. That hard work by Scottish farmers must not be jeopardised.
“As demand for our world-renowned Scottish salmon continues to soar, we urge the UK government to navigate a way through this that doesn’t harm vital trade deals.”
Trade wars tend to involve tariffs or quota restrictions.
Meanwhile, the UK Cabinet Office last month declared that the remaining EU import controls would no longer be introduced this year. Instead, the government is accelerating its transformative programme to digitise Britain’s borders.
A Target Operating Model will be published this autumn which will set out the new border import controls.
The controls that have already been introduced will remain in place.
