Ireland to open new consulate in UK as Brexit looms

Written by Agriland Team

Ireland will open a new consulate in the UK in the new year to improve Irish-British relations, as the Brexit clock ticks towards December 31.

From that date, the transition period set out in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will come to an end, at which point, if there is no free trade agreement in place, the UK and the EU will trade on World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, which will mean Irish agri-food produce will be hit with tariffs when they enter the UK market.

The plans for the new consulate general, which will be based in Manchester and will cover the north of England, was announced this morning (Monday, November 16) by Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney.

The announcement comes on the occasion of a ‘virtual visit’ to Ireland by the mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region.

The minister said that opening a consulate in the north of England would fulfil a Programme for Government commitment to further develop relations between the two countries. It is planned that the first consul general will be in place in the first half of 2021.

Following formal notification to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) last week, arrangements are now being made for the new diplomatic office, which will bring the number of Irish diplomatic missions in the UK to four, the others being the Embassy of Ireland in London and the consulates general in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

The consulate’s expected coverage area of northwest England; northeast England; and Yorkshire and the Humber, has a combined population of 15.5 million; over one million businesses; and a GDP of £412 billion (€458 million), which makes the region, on its own, one of the top 12 economies in Europe.

When opened, the consulate general will join a recently-opened Enterprise Ireland office in Manchester, set up in 2019 to help Irish companies “seek opportunities and partnerships” across the north of England. It will work closely with the Embassy in London and all Irish state agencies based in Britain.

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[Hilly]

More jobs for the boys making the nanny state even top heavier than it already is, well done all concerned you bunch of leaches .

 

[Werzle]

@Highland Mule ! FOOD TARIFFS!

 

[Highland Mule]

@Highland Mule ! FOOD TARIFFS!

Yep, I read that. I'm still not seeing anything that recinded the anouncement of zero rates for food imports, but as I have written before, I'm happy to see if there has been. We need clarity though, formally - we can't invest on the back of rumours.

 

[Werzle]

Nice backtrack

 

[Highland Mule]

@Werzle - this is from September and is as recent as I can find.

Brexit: What UK tariffs policy could mean for food prices

If the UK and EU fail to reach a deal before the end of the transition period, the resulting effect on food prices could be disastrous for shoppers

www.thegrocer.co.uk

"The last time the UK was staring down the barrel of a no-deal Brexit, the government proposed slashing tariffs on most food and drink imports to zero.

Under its temporary tariff regime (TTR), first published in March 2019, tariffs were slashed to zero on 87% of the UK’s food and drink imports, with tariffs and quotas on beef, lamb, pork, poultry and some dairy to protect domestic farmers."


"Under international trade law, if the UK suspended or reduced tariffs for the EU it would also have to do so for the rest of the world, which could be disastrous for the UK’s domestic food industry. But with international law seemingly no longer important in Boris Johnson’s government’s decision making, some believe it would just drop tariffs for the EU regardless."

 

[Highland Mule]

Nice backtrack

Not backtracking. The most recent info I can find from government is that there will be zero rates for food imports. That would be a disaster, as I'm sure you agree. You have a gut feel that it won't happen, but we have no evidence that this would be the case.

 

[Highland Mule]

Not backtracking. The most recent info I can find from government is that there will be zero rates for food imports. That would be a disaster, as I'm sure you agree. You have a gut feel that it won't happen, but we have no evidence that this would be the case.

Forgive me - I've read that atricle again. There is perhaps some clarity, in the form of the UKGT which I'd need to look at properly - unless you have?