Notice

Notice to exporters 2024/01: UK moving into the 'non-EU sources reserve' of Canada's WTO cheese quota

Published 2 January 2024

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

© Crown copyright 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-to-exporters-2024-update-on-uks-cheese-exports-to-canada/notice-to-exporters-202401-uk-moving-into-the-non-eu-sources-reserve-of-canadas-wto-cheese-quota

1. The situation 

Canada currently offers a World Trade Organization (WTO) cheese quota, which is split into 2 reserves:

  • one allocated to European Union (EU) member states the (volume of 14,272 tonnes)
  • one allocated to non-EU sources (volume of 6,140 tonnes)

In the UK/Canada Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) in 2021, both countries agreed that, as a transitional arrangement, the UK would continue to be eligible under the ‘EU member state reserve’ of Canada’s WTO cheese quota until 31 December 2023.   

This has meant that up until now, UK cheese producers have been able to export products to Canada by partnering with specific Canadian importers, who have been awarded ‘EU reserve’ import licences by the Government of Canada to purchase specified volumes of cheese.   

However, as of 1 January 2024, the UK has moved out of the ‘EU reserve’, and into the ‘non-EU sources reserve’ of Canada’s WTO cheese quota. 

2. What the change means for business 

From 1 January 2024, for UK cheese to be eligible for export under Canada’s WTO quota, UK exporters need to ensure the Canadian importer they are partnering with has access to an import licence for the ‘non-EU sources reserve’.   

If UK exporters do not have this, any cheese products they export to Canada will be subject to the full tariffs.   

3. Contact the Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

If you represent a business and are at all concerned about anything in this technical note, contact:

Department for Business and Trade

Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY

Telephone +44 (0) 20 4551 0011

Use our online contact form to ask general questions about trade and investment. We cannot reply promptly to correspondence sent by post at the moment.

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