The administration of US President Donald Trump wants to impose US food standards on the United Kingdom (UK) if the 2 countries reach a trade deal after Brexit. That reports Business Insider.
The US President will demand that the Britons making significant concessions on the import of hormone-treated American meat and the chickens washed in chlorine baths. This is the opinion of the former UK ambassador to Washington.
Trump will play game hard
Sir Peter Westmacott was the British Ambassador to the United States (US) from 2012 to 2016. He warns that the US will play the game hard and demand that the UK abandon European food standards. This mainly applies to the agricultural sector. Wesmacott foresees significant damage to British farmers.
"When you talk to farmers, you can tell they are concerned about the consequences of Brexit," Westmacott told Business Insider. "The farmers think that a trade agreement with the US will almost certainly also apply to the agricultural sector. That means significant imports of hormone-treated meat, chlorinated chickens, and the like. All things that are potentially unfavorable for the British agricultural industry."
Shielding markets
The European Union (EU) and the US have been shielding each other's markets for decades. For example, the EU has banned the import of certain products (pork treated with growth hormones, genetically modified grains and chlorinated chickens). British farmers fear that their American colleagues will try to flood the British market with such products.
Liam Fox, the British trade secretary, has publicly defended washing chickens in chlorine baths and will benefit from a quick deal with the Americans. In an interview with Business Insider Fox said the UK will have "complete control over quotas and import tariffs" in the agricultural sector after Brexit. That would leave a lot of room for a deal with the US. Fox indicated at the same time, however, that the British will also follow many European rules, in order to retain access to the EU as a sales market.
Limited effect on economic growth
According to Westmacott, a broad agreement between the UK and the US has only a limited effect on UK economic growth. On the other hand, there will be negative consequences for trade with the EU. "The greater the distance between the UK and the EU, the higher the economic costs. At the same time, the scope for concluding trade agreements with third parties increases," said Wesmacott.
"Unfortunately, an agreement with the Americans will not yield much, because the US is already the UK's largest trading partner and there are virtually no import tariffs. In some areas we are worse off because the US will negotiate hard. What regulations and technical standards are we going to apply? The Americans will try to impose their rules."
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