To ask His Majesty’s Government, given their intention to align dynamically with the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regime of the European Union, whether they intend to comply with Chapter 7 of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on SPS measures.
My Lords, the UK and the EU are working towards establishing a common sanitary and phytosanitary area that will remove trade barriers for areas within the scope of the agreement. The UK will not be rejoining the single market or customs union. Our focus will be to regulate consistently with the EU on specific rules in the scope of the CSPS area. We expect the agreement with the EU to be consistent with our international obligations, including those under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. We have entered negotiations with the European Union in full awareness of those international commitments.
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply but I do not share her optimism that dynamic alignment with the EU’s SPS regime will be compatible with our membership of the CPTPP. The CPTPP’s processes depend on the assessment of equivalence, rather than alignment or harmonisation, between two party’s specific SPS measures. Our CPTPP partners are concerned about our proposed dynamic alignment under the European court for many reasons. For example, the EU’s GMO, gene editing and beef hormone bans are not based on sound science. The EU could put us in breach of the CPTPP’s SPS and TBT rules. A challenge would have to go through Brussels, but the EU is not a CPTPP member. Does the Minister not agree that we would do better to retain responsibility for our own rules and avoid the risk of protracted and expensive litigation?
My Lords, quite rightly we have reset our relations with European partners to improve our diplomatic, economic and security co-operation following Brexit. We are now looking at the opportunities that can follow on from that. The discussions with the EU are at an early stage. We signed a common understanding in May this year, and there will be further negotiations that may lead to a new formal agreement in some of these areas. That may require primary legislation for domestic implementation of the agreements in the UK once finalised. Formal negotiations on the EU SPS agreement have not yet begun and we will set out further details, but we will, of course, make sure that anything we do will be consistent with our international obligations and other arrangements with trading partners.
My Lords, does the Minister agree with me that the Opposition’s obsession with being isolated from the rest of Europe is very damaging to Britain and the industries?
My Lords, as I say, we see huge advantages to our reset with our European partners. The fact is that UK agri-food trade with the EU has, since 2018 to 2024, fallen by 21% for exports and 7% for imports. It is important that we re-establish those relationships so that our own trade can benefit from the new opportunities that we will have with the reset arrangements following that common understanding with the EU.
My Lords, I think we are all grateful to the noble Viscount for causing the Minister to put her trade hat on. It is good to discuss trade. The Financial Times recently reported an influx of Australian steak, which is undercutting British beef. Does the Minister agree with what the Liberal Democrats said at the time: that the Australian FTA, which was made in haste by the Conservative Government of the time, sells out British farmers? What will her Government do to try to protect them from this problem?
My Lords, we remain committed to our high agriculture and food standards. As the Trade and Agriculture Commission report has confirmed, all food and drink products imported into the UK will still have to meet our existing import, food safety and biosecurity requirements. We have not lowered our standards to join the CPTPP. For example, hormone-treated beef and ractopamine—I knew I would fall when attempting to pronounce that—pork remain banned in the UK, as will other products affected by pesticides. We will maintain our existing food standards.
My Lords, since we are a member of the CPTPP, can the Minister tell us whether any of the other members of that organisation have raised this problem with us and said there will be any incompatibility? After all, our intention to sign an SPS agreement with the EU is a matter of common knowledge.
My Lords, these issues are, as ever, discussed at the CPTPP ministerial meetings. We have assured all those partners that we will maintain our existing agricultural standards, as I have confirmed.
My Lords, our membership of CPTPP is facilitated by our ownership of the Pitcairn Islands. Can the noble Baroness confirm that the Government are not planning to give that island away as well?