Independent report

Trade and Agriculture Commission: interim progress update

Updated 12 March 2021

This Trade and Agriculture Commission has ceased to operate and has been superseded by a new Trade and Agriculture Commission, which has a new role and membership.

1. Summary

Since launching in July 2020, the Trade and Agriculture Commission has been reviewing how the UK can advance its interests most effectively, as it begins a new trading relationship with the rest of the world.

The Commission is mid-way through an ambitious 6 month timeframe. Activity so far has been intensive, with fortnightly meetings and regular commissioning and review of written and oral evidence from a wide stakeholder base.

The commitment from Commission members has been particularly generous and welcome given the pressing demands on their time. This includes handling the implications of the COVID-19 situation, the end of the EU transitional period and the fast moving political and legislative landscape with the passage of both the agriculture and trade bills. This dedication is evidenced by the substantial progress achieved within this short timeframe. The Commission is grateful for all their efforts.

This update provides a summary of progress to date and the further steps the Commission will take before making final recommendations.

2. Membership

One of the key strengths of the Commission is its diverse membership and the breadth of expertise and knowledge that they bring. Members are drawn from industry, trade, food production, hospitality, veterinary, environmental and other backgrounds. This makes for lively debate, thorough analysis and well-balanced deliberations.

3. Key activities to date

The Commission began by reviewing the global and domestic landscape relating to its terms of reference. This included the international framework of institutions and standards and the comparative situation of other key trading partners around the world.

The Commission also examined the current domestic legislative and political context, including:

• progress with the agriculture and trade bills
• the recent publication of the National Food Strategy
• the agreement of a new UK trade agreement with Japan

4. Working groups

The Commission decided to conduct ‘deep dive’ reviews into 3 topics:

1. Consumer issues: what matters most to consumers here in the UK and around the world
2. Competitiveness: how can we maximise opportunities for UK farmers and producers including small and medium-sized enterprises
3. Standards: where should the UK lead on trade standards, where should we collaborate with others and where should we preserve existing standards

To examine these topics, the Commission established 3 working groups, each chaired by members of the Commission. They are drawing together a combined 40+ contributors with an impressive breadth of expertise and perspectives. These contributors have enabled a thorough and technical assessment of each of these topics and have been generous with both their time and knowledge.

4.1 Consumer Working Group

This group has been considering and advising the Commission on the following priority topics:

• what are the pressing issues of concern for consumers and how do their priorities translate into behavioural change when they move from being citizens to shoppers
• the relationship between price and choice: the importance of both for the consumer and the trade-offs consumers factor into their decision making
• how might the Commission prioritise these public concerns in its recommendations on trade policy
• which consumer priorities and benefits can be delivered by trade policies and agreements, and which are delivered through other means such as labelling
• how can we approach trade policy in a way that maintains consumer protection

4.2 Competitiveness Working Group

This group has been considering and advising the Commission on the following priority topics:

• how might the UK approach a clear trade strategy that addresses agri-food, in relation to both exporting and the impact of trade liberalisation on the competitiveness of domestic production
• the scale and location of export opportunities and which sectors are growing and declining
• how could the UK improve the promotion of agri-food products, recognising the variations and strengths of approaches in different parts of the UK as well as opportunities to collaborate
• how should the UK address market access barriers and market distortions overseas
• how can the UK demonstrate leadership in standards in relation to competitiveness, as well as the relationship between domestic regulation and import competitiveness (recognising links with the Standards Working Group)

4.3 Standards Working Group

This group has been considering and advising the Commission on the following priority topics:

• what are standards; the international framework, flexibility, relationships to tariffs, regulatory versus private standards, how they are assured, and UK interests in relation to the WTO and other international structures
• the UK approach to setting import standards, applying WTO recognised non-tariff barriers to trade. Sanitary and Phytosanitary and Technical Barriers to Trade. How to address global public goods such as environment and climate change. How standards may be incorporated into Free Trade Agreements. The impact of the relationship with the European Union on standards and trade agreements, and equivalence mutual recognition agreements
• assuring authenticity and standards for export as well as import. Different approaches to regulating imports and auditing standards guaranteed by exporting countries
• how import standards impact developing countries and how the UK might improve market access for those countries
• what impacts should be assessed for free trade agreements and what evidence should be used - potential methodologies and frameworks
• UK negotiation objectives for international standards framework including new areas to be covered, likelihood of success, risks, approaches

5. Wider engagement with individuals and organisations

How we feed the nation and the future of our food and food production is of keen interest to many in the UK. This is even more acutely so now as we are leaving the European Union.

The Commission is fully aware of the strength of feeling and breadth of views. Therefore, to further inform its work and ensure its recommendations are representative and robust, the Commission is conducting a series of strategic engagement activities. These have involved individuals and organisations across the UK and across the agriculture and food sector.

5.1 Overview of activities – with more to follow

• 2 x thematic roundtables with animal welfare and environment experts
• 5 x regional evidence gathering roadshows
• a call for evidence survey

5.2 Thematic roundtables

The thematic roundtable events were created to bring together experts to discuss and share their views on key topics associated with the Commission’s work.

The roundtable of animal welfare experts took place on 9 October. Discussion focused on:

• ensuring that the UK maintained its high welfare standards
• encouraging the development of high standards in the developing world - drawing on UK technology and expertise
• taking the lead, at an international level, to improve animal welfare standards world-wide

The roundtable of environment experts took place on 12 October. Discussion centred on:

• the importance of clear, ambitious environmental objectives and goals
• maintaining the UK’s high environmental standards in UK trade policy
• taking a leading role, globally, to improve standards worldwide, including through international platforms such as COP26

Over 20 individuals participated in each event. As the work of the Commission develops some of those participants may be contacted for further follow up.

A third roundtable on ethical trading is scheduled for 6 November.

5.3 Regional and devolved nation evidence gathering roadshows

Regional and devolved nation evidence gathering roadshows were devised to ensure the recommendations of the Commission capture the views and experiences of those working in the agriculture sector from every part of the UK.

The Commission has run 6 regional events so far:

• South West England
• East of England
• London and the South East
• Northern Ireland
• Wales
• Scotland

The North and Midlands roadshows will take place on 10 November.

To ensure a broad spectrum of views those invited have included local food producers and businesses, academics, farmers, farming unions, devolved government officials, Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and MPs.

The Commission has aimed for 20 to 25 individuals at each event. So far, a total of 250 individuals have been invited to take part.

The roadshows have highlighted both the opportunities for UK farmers and food producers presented by future trade agreements and the challenges around competition and standards. All regions underlined the importance of the agriculture and food industries to their local economies, the importance of promoting local produce, culture and brands and the need for a single source of government support and advice.

Participants were invited to share with the Commission examples of obstacles and barriers they faced in exporting goods and services.

5.4 Call for evidence survey

On 1 October the Secretariat, on behalf of the Commission, launched an online survey with 6 questions focused on the key areas of the Commission’s work.

Over 200 stakeholders representing agri-food businesses, industry bodies, civil society organisations, universities, research bodies and agricultural colleges were invited to complete the survey by 23 October. More than 50 responses have been received by this date. The Commission has decided to extend the survey until 13 November to give respondents more time to complete it.

5.5 Additional bespoke engagement

An additional briefing / update will be held for MPs on 12 November and for peers on 18 November.

A further roundtable will take place on 23 November for individuals and organisations who were initially unable to attend one of the previous regional roadshows.

The Commission expects to follow up with other experts and stakeholders as the Commission’s work proceeds.

6. Future focus

The Commission will continue to meet every two weeks. It will review the emerging thinking from the 3 working groups and the broader stakeholder engagement. It will continue to focus on priority topics in its terms of reference and to support those activities plans to draw in speakers from across government, industry, the WTO, and those with trade policy expertise from significant overseas markets.

In addition to the focus areas of the working groups, the Commission will address a number of cross-cutting issues, including:

• environmental sustainability
• animal welfare
• ethical trade
• the implications of the UK internal market
• impact assessment and scrutiny of trade agreements
• a potential future role for the Commission or a different successor body

The Commission and working groups are gathering evidence to support their eventual findings.

7. Structure of the final report

At the end of its term, the Commission will present its recommendations to the Secretary of State for International Trade, which will:

• propose a high-level vision for what the UK’s approach to global trade in agri-food commodities and products should aim to deliver for all UK stakeholders and for developing countries

• articulate a series of key principles which might guide the development and implementation of UK agri-food trade policies consistent with that vision, including proposed red lines for future negotiations

• build on the 3 working group themes discussed above

• dispel commonly held misconceptions about trade agreements and standards

• contain case studies which positively demonstrate why the UK is a leading trading partner and note potential untapped opportunities for small medium enterprises (SMEs) and farmers

• reflect on the evidence obtained from the wide stakeholder engagement process and the submissions made by the many individuals and organisations who have engaged with the Commission

• make recommendations about an effective approach to addressing agricultural and food issues within parliamentary scrutiny of new trade agreements structures that would be needed to deliver this

Trade and Agriculture Commission

Interim progress report published on 5 November 2020.