The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) has written to the Treasury asking for clarification after the government published no-deal Brexit proposals which 'fly in the face' of World Trade Organisation rules.
In the event of a no-deal Brexit, tariffs and Tariff Rate Quotas would apply to a range of products, but '...the UK’s temporary import tariffs will...not apply to goods crossing from Ireland into Northern Ireland.'
Northern Irish sheep farmers have already said the creation of the new tariff regime at the border with the Republic of Ireland would 'crush' the sector.
The FUW said that this appeared to 'fly in the face' of World Trade Organisation (WTO) and EU rules.
FUW Head of Policy, Nick Fenwick said that this appeared to 'fly in the face' of World Trade Organisation (WTO) and EU rules.
“If the government said it was going to apply tariffs to all imports except those entering the UK from Germany, without any form of trade deal in place, this would clearly be a breach of WTO rules,” FUW Head of Policy, Nick Fenwick said.
“It would also go against the rules of the EU because Germany is in the Single Market.”
He added: “The same principle applies to imports or movements of goods from any EU Member State, including the Republic of Ireland - irrespective of whether the border is on the land or in the sea.”
Dr Fenwick said that the government statement made 'no sense' and effectively advertised a 'back-door for smugglers'.
“We have written to the Treasury to seek clarification, and are happy to stand corrected if there is some form of rational way of doing this, but it appears to undermine the very principles on which WTO rules are based.
“However, if we are right a correction and explanation which sets the record right in the press must be issued as soon as possible,” he said.
