Brexit, what next for our trade with America?
09, May 2019
Industry News
A fundamental premise of Brexit is that the UK will benefit enormously from freeing itself of the shackles of EU trade policy and be free to do its own deals.
Of course, all trade deals are a compromise between two or more parties and, to work, need to meet the key aspirations of the participants. And for the UK securing a lucrative trade deal with the United States of America is seen as a key objective, second only perhaps to its trading relationship with the EU. There are good reasons for this. The US has an economy similar in size to the EU but with a higher GDP per capita (similar in Purchasing Power Parity terms) and close cultural and linguistic links.
But what is the view from the other side of the pond? President Trump’s official State Visit to the UK will, no doubt, provide some insight into this and is the perfect backdrop for the BMPA conference on 5 June this year to get a US meat industry perspective.
Bill Westman, the Senior Vice President of International Affairs and Administration at the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) in Washington, D.C. will address our members on what the US expectations of a trade deal will be. Bill is a strong advocate of lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and will give his frank view of what this means for future agreement with the US.
The differences of opinion between the EU and the US on the use of antimicrobial rinses, to cite just one example, are well documented. Can the UK in turn expect realistically to secure a deal with the US in which it pre-emptively imposes restrictions on the basis of protecting consumers as a health and safety measure? Is this a deal breaker?
To get, first hand, the US view on these and other questions, book your ticket to the BMPA conference at Stationer’s Hall on 5 June 2019. Places are limited.
