UK and EU come together to agree to sausage war truce
The UK and European Union have agreed a ‘sausage war’ truce over the summer, with current trading rules being extended until the end of September.
A post-Brexit grace period that has allowed chilled meats including sausages to be sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will now expire on September 30 instead.
The current arrangements had been due to come to an end on Thursday, which could have meant a complete ban on sausage shipments.
But the latest measure is only a temporary solution and ministers and officials will have to agree on more permanent new rules come the autumn.
Brexit minister Lord Frost said in a statement: ‘We are pleased we have been able to agree a sensible extension on chilled meats moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland – one that does not require rules in the rest of the UK to align with future changes in EU agrifood rules.
‘This is a positive first step but we still need to agree a permanent solution – Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and its consumers should be able to enjoy products they have bought from Great Britain for years.’
The sausage ban could be imposed due to the Northern Ireland Protocol which was agreed by the two sides after Brexit.
This has created a series of economic barriers on Irish Sea trade due to the need to avoid creating a hard border with Ireland but means Northern Ireland is effectively being kept in the EU’s single market for goods.
Shipments of chilled meats from third countries into the single market are banned – a prohibition which will eventually cover the rest of the UK unless a lasting solution is found.
Lord Frost has repeatedly complained about the implementation of the protocol, which was part of the Brexit deal negotiated by him and signed by Boris Johnson.
‘This is a very clear sign that the protocol has to be operated in a pragmatic and proportionate way,’ he said.
‘The chilled meats issue is only one of a very large number of problems with the way the protocol is currently operating, and solutions need to be found with the EU to ensure it delivers on its original aims: to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, safeguard Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom, and protect the EU’s single market for goods. We look to work energetically with the EU to do so.’
In order to secure the extension, the UK agreed to maintain its existing rules relating to meat products.
Products from Great Britain will only be sold in supermarkets, will be accompanied by official certificates and will bear a label making clear they are for sale only in the UK.
Brussels’ post-Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic said that measures agreed between the EU and UK did not represent a ‘blank cheque.’
He said the next three months needed to be used to find a ‘lasting, permanent solution’ to the chilled meats issue.
‘This continuous rolling-over of the grace period does not give the predictability and stability to the businesses, especially in Northern Ireland who otherwise could really use the opportunity of being in two markets at the same time to their big advantage,’ he told a Brussels briefing.
Mr Sefcovic said the UK and EU had agreed solutions to a number of other issues, including the supply of medicines, waiving the insurance green card and the movement of livestock.
‘I am convinced that these forthcoming solutions are a true testament to our commitment to the people of Northern Ireland and to the Good Friday Belfast agreement,’ Mr Sefcovic said.
‘They’re also an unquestionable response to those in the UK suggesting that the EU is inflexible, or too legalistic.
‘Because in some cases, notably on medicines, we have completely turned our rules upside down and inside out to find the solid solution on outstanding challenge.’
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