{"id":5110,"date":"2019-03-04T11:32:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T11:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/politics\/?p=5110"},"modified":"2020-01-15T16:04:58","modified_gmt":"2020-01-15T16:04:58","slug":"will-there-be-food-brexit-explored-through-the-organic-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/politics\/2019\/03\/04\/will-there-be-food-brexit-explored-through-the-organic-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Will there be food? Brexit explored through the organic sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Sarah Lieberman \u2013 Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations.<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Brexit is an emotive topic which has seen society divided between those who passionately believe in leave, and those who equally passionately believe in remain. It is the marmite of political topics: no one sits on the fence. However, it is only now, with the government\u2019s Brexit date set and looming, are we starting to see what it might actually mean to give up our membership of the European Union. Some sectors are going to be hugely affected, and it is likely that the food industry is one of them. The organic sector in particular is a small but considerable industry and therefore helps to provide an insight into post-Brexit complication.<\/p>\n

What is Organic?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Organic food is grown, raised, or manufactured without the use of chemical or genetically modified additives in the production or post production stage. The EU has a strict legal framework for organic food that protects consumers, farmers, transporters, and importers. Organic food is costly to produce and the EU ensures quality.<\/p>\n

The main piece of legislation pertaining to organic food is Regulation EC834\/2007. In 2007, when it was signed, organic food was at its height of popularity: pre-credit crunch as well as post-GMO and other food scares. The regulation covers all aspects of organic food production: farming, import, animal welfare, human health, provisions for labelling, etc. The UK adheres to these directly applicable rules that must be applied to be granted organic certification.<\/p>\n

Deal or No Deal?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, then the Union and its Member States will continue to recognise the UK\u2019s organic certification. An agreement would also allow the UK to import organic grain tariff-free. A percentage of the EU\u2019s external import tariff quota has already been granted to the UK by civil servants in Whitehall and Brussels. Without this, the UK cannot produce organic meat as it does not produce enough high protein organic grain.<\/p>\n

If the UK leaves with no deal, it must harmonise standards before exit \u2013 and let\u2019s face it, there is hardly time for that now \u2013 or it will lose access to the European market for organic produce. The problem is not with the EU, as it knows that the UK is up to standard. The problem is the World Trade Organisation (WTO). If the EU recognises the UK\u2019s organic certification without a deal, then they have to do the same for all non-EU states, regardless of practices.<\/p>\n

The UK will also require bilateral trade agreements with non-EU states, specifying the standards for organic produce. The WTO is based on a principle that at all states are treated the same and without the EU\u2019s certification behind it, organic looks simply like a barrier to trade or an extra tariff. \u00a0This is not due to EU awkwardness, but rather international law as defined by the WTO. And this is not just organics: substitute the word organic for any other sector and you have the same story.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear: if the UK does not have a deal and it does not have harmonised standards in place, then it does not have trade deals to fall back on. So, when someone asks \u2018will there be food\u2019, the answer is actually very complicated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Sarah Lieberman \u2013 Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88085,"featured_media":5113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-research"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t