Brexit: Food, medicine shortages and other concerns amid trade talks deadlock

The United Kingdom exited the EU on January 31 but it has been following the bloc’s rules during the ongoing transition period of 11 months.

Britain and the European Union have held several rounds of negotiations to arrive at a post-Brexit trade agreement but the two sides on Saturday indicated that the UK’s ‘no deal’ exit from the bloc seems more likely than not. The United Kingdom exited the EU on January 31 but it has been following the bloc’s rules during the ongoing transition period of 11 months.

On January 1, Britain will leave the EU Single Market and Customs Union, and the application of EU law to and in the UK will cease. (AFP)

On January 1, the United Kingdom will leave the EU Single Market and Customs Union, and the application of EU law to and in the UK will cease. The two sides haven’t been able to resolve the differences over a few sticking points, but they have agreed to continue the talks on a free trade agreement, extending the self-imposed deadline that was set to end on Sunday. However, the UK and the 27-member bloc have been preparing for a ‘no deal’ exit since both sides have to adjust quickly to the changed rules.

Here are the major concerns and the ways the two sides preparing:

Concerns over possible food shortages

The European Commission had warned that there are not enough European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) permits available, which are required by UK lorry drivers to enter EU countries. In such a situation, the UK lorries won’t able to transport enough goods from EU countries, leading to a serious disruption in the supply chain. The EU has proposed allowing road freight, and road passenger transport for six months as long as EU drivers are also allowed into the UK.

Basic air connectivity

The UK is currently a member of European Common Aviation Area which allows British airlines to fly to and from destinations in the EU countries. In case of a ‘no deal’ exit, the UK’s membership to the ECCA will cease. The European Commission has proposed a six-month regulation to allow certain air services between the UK and the EU, provided the UK ensures the same.

Medicine shortages

The UK pharmaceutical companies had reportedly warned the government against a possible shortage of some medicines in the middle of the pandemic. According to a BBC report, the head of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry warned that no trade deal before the end of the transition period would cause “increased complexity, duplication and cost.” The UK government has insisted that there are contingency plans to ensure the shipping of Pfizer’s vaccines from Belgium if border problems arise.

Fishing

The 27-member bloc has been demanding access to UK fishing waters but the British government has called it incompatible with the UK’s future status as an independent coastal state. The European Commission has proposed regulation to create an appropriate legal framework for continued access by EU and UK vessels to each other’s waters after December 31, 2020. According to the proposal, the legal framework will exist until December 31, 2021, or until a fisheries agreement has been concluded, whichever date is earlier.

“In order to guarantee the sustainability of fisheries and in light of the importance of fisheries for the economic livelihood of many communities, it is necessary to facilitate the procedures of authorisation of fishing vessels,” the commission said in a statement earlier this week.