The Canadian Cattle Association is disappointed with the news that Canada has reached a market access agreement with the UK to join the CPTPP without achieving viable access for Canadian beef into the UK.
While full details of the deal remain unavailable the CCA says they are aware that other members of the CPTPP have achieved unlimited beef access in their bilateral agreements with the UK, but that similar access for Canada is 'off the table'.
Currently, the terms of access for Canada-UK beef trade relate to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) established between Canada and the European Union (EU) in 2017.
When the UK left the EU, a temporary agreement was reached to continue to apply the CETA provisions to Canada-UK trade until a permanent
agreement could be reached.
According to the CCA British beef has had access to Canada at a 0 per cent tariff in unlimited quantities; Canadian beef has access to the UK at a 0 per cent tariff within the limits of a tariff rate quota (TRQ).
The TRQ limits on Canadian beef are 2708 tonnes fresh and 1161 tonnes frozen annually.
Stats show that in 2021, the UK exported 2733 tonnes of beef valued at C$16.3 million to Canada.
For 2022, UK beef exports to Canada grew to 4414 tonnes for C$33.2 million, while Canada exported 657 tonnes of beef valued at C$7.6 million to the UK in 2021 and zero in 2022.