In an article published this week in the Telegraph, it’s argued that upcoming UK-EU negotiations on a veterinary alignment deal could force Britain to reverse or dilute its post-Brexit animal-welfare measures. It singles out the ban on live-animal exports for slaughter and future improvements like banning cages for hens. The article claims this is because the EU may resist allowing too many UK carve-outs and calls on UK negotiators to “stand firm,” or else high British standards could be compromised.

This needs correcting and Perter Hardwick, BMPA’s Trade Policy Advisor has written to the Telegraph’s Editor to explain why. Here’s his full letter:

Dear Editor

I refer to your article of 24 November “We won’t let you slaughter British animals, Starmer to warn Von der Leyen”. It suggests that the UK might have to consider easing animal welfare rules as part of the negotiations for an SPS alignment agreement by rolling-back a ban on live animal exports. This is incorrect as this is simply not in scope in the context of the SPS negotiations.

Even before we left the EU, we, along with all other Member States, were permitted to introduce animal welfare legislation over and above EU legal requirements on their own territory. Indeed, the UK and other EU Countries did so on several occasions; for example, the UK’s pre-emptive ban on sow stalls, which was well in advance of the rest of the EU.

The only potential conflict with EU rules relates to the requirements for the freedom of movement of goods and people within the Single Market – not its welfare rules – but as the UK has left the EU and the Single Market, this is simply not up for discussion. The negotiations on alignment are purely focussed on easing the bureaucratic burden on trade, which is currently costing British exporters hundreds of millions of pounds. The EU does not seek to interfere with our domestic animal welfare legislation, and the same applies reciprocally.

Yours

Peter Hardwick

Trade Policy Advisor

The British Meat Processors Association