Despite farmers’ concerns, the UK will still provide Australia’s tariff-free trade agreement

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Boris Johnson insisted that despite warnings that may seriously harm the interests of British farmers, the United Kingdom should continue, and the United Kingdom will provide Australia with a tariff-free and quota-free trade agreement on Friday.

Downing Street declined to comment on the details, but did not deny sun Tariffs will be abolished in 15 years, giving British farmers time to prepare to face new competition in areas such as beef and lamb.

This result represents the victory of the Cabinet Free Traders led by International Trade Minister Liz Truss, who insisted that the United Kingdom provide Australia with a zero tariff and zero quota agreement with the EU after Brexit Similar agreement.

Truss will discuss the proposal with her Australian counterpart Dan Tehan on Friday. Dan Tehan insists that any trade agreement with the UK should include full tariff liberalization, including freedom in agriculture.化.

British Environment Minister George Eustice once believed that zero tariffs should only be applied to specific import quotas for beef or lamb so that protective measures can be maintained in the event of a surge in imports.

But Australia has stated that such restrictions are unacceptable, and Johnson insisted on an ambitious deal at the senior cabinet ministers meeting on Thursday.

Johnson told MPs on Wednesday that British farmers are innovative and can be confident in selling their high-quality products around the world.

Beef and lamb farmers, especially Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, are most vulnerable to cheap competition from Australia, which has larger farms.

Attorney General Robert Buckland told the BBC Nowadays One plan on Friday is that the UK’s animal welfare standards will not be weakened to accommodate the agreement with Canberra.

“The government has always said that we have reached any free trade agreement with Australia or other countries in the world… Of course, we will take into account the high welfare standards we have implemented in the UK,” he said.

“Of course, considering the quality and excellence of the products produced in the UK, we will of course ensure that we do not weaken the interests of British farmers or put them at a disadvantage.”

House Environment Committee Chairman Tory Neil Parish said this week that British farmers will have to face “more competition” and must innovate in the coming years.

At the same time, according to the plan made by the ministers, a subsidy of up to 100,000 pounds will be provided to farmers who wish to withdraw from agriculture next year, which is part of England’s transition to the post-Brexit subsidy system.

Truss and Johnson believe that the Australian trade agreement is the touchstone of British commercial policy after Brexit. But Eustice worries that the generosity of the terms offered to Canberra may set a precedent for other transactions, including the possibility of a future agreement with the United States, which could further hit British farmers.

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