Canada has vowed to put hormone-pumped beef on UK supermarket shelves, as the two countries opened post-Brexit trade negotiations.
At a press conference, Canada’s trade minister argued its beef – which, as in the US and Australia, is given the synthetic treatment to boost growth – is “second to none”.
Confirming she wanted “access to the British market” for that meat, Mary Ng added: “I am here to sell brand Canada, boy-oh-boy, and I’m going to keep doing that.”
The comments confirm the contents of a leaked government memo, last month, which suggested Ottawa would seek to include hormone-treated beef in any deal.
Its negotiators were asking “probing questions” about the controversial issue – despite London insisting its ban on such imports will survive leaving the EU, the document admitted.
However, in reality, the economic benefits are likely to be tiny, because 98 per cent of goods exports are already tariff-free under an existing agreement rolled over from EU membership.
The Treasury watchdog is warning that no mooted new trade deal will make any “material difference” – with the new Australia agreement adding just 0.1 per cent to GDP over 15 years.https://www.independent.ie/business/far ... 96527.html
- By The Weeping Angel
- By kreuzberger
- By davidjay