Eu Commission officials, inc member of Barnier’s team, told meeting of trade associations, farmers & animal welfare campaigners on Fri that they cd be forced to ban all UK exports of live animals & animal products such as cheese, beef, eggs, lamb from Jan 1 to EU & N.Ireland.
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It would also jeopardise British horse racing by making the travel of racehorses to and from Ireland and France too difficult and force pet owners to send a blood sample to an EU approved lab three months before taking their cat, dog or ferret on holiday to the bloc.
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RSPCA’s David Bowles calls this “no deal Brexit on steroids” and the NFU says it will have "catastrophic implications" for British farming.

https://twitter.com/DavidBowles21/status/1305811440381685761?s=20
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on Sunday, David Frost, the UK’s chief negotiator accused the EU of threatening UK food exports to Northern Ireland during the ongoing trade talks, which Michel Barnier has denied.
https://twitter.com/DavidGHFrost/status/1305121862255599623?s=20
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So is this an EU threat to blockade NI as Boris Johnson suggested could happen? Well audience for meeting was not UK & this is separate to the Internal Markets Bill which focuses on Withdrawal Agreement provisions for export declarations on GB goods to NI & state aid rules.
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So what’s the prob? Unless the UK provides “full clarity” on the future rules and in particular its rules for imports, one EU official said, it would be impossible to add British animals and products to EU Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) lists for non-EU countries.
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Without that listing - they become illegal after end of transition on Dec 31. Listing wlll make a replacement pet passport system & racehorse deal much easier.
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EU anxious that UK will agree to import food produced to lower standards to secure trade deals with Australia and the US and wants assurances they will not find their way into the Single Market.
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“We are still waiting for comprehensive information on what the UK’s future rules could be,” EU official said, “it is possible to list a country within a few days.” Theresa May submitted those details when she was PM avoiding a similar risk last time no deal raised its head.
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UK not having this and says it has responded to EC requests for extra info. "The EU and the UK are currently operating the same rules in this space so the EU should have no problems in listing the UK.”
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Nick von Westenholz, of the National Farmers’ Union warned EU markets could be lost forever. Listing should be a straightforward technical matter, he said. “It is disappointing that the issue now appears to be being politicised,” he added.
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I can't say who is telling the truth over any EU "threat" to not list the UK or if it is a simple case of miscommunication. I don't see how a threat would help EU interests FWIW.

But EC won't list w/o info - & not listing would be huge hit to UK and NI.
ENDS
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