EU Exit Guidance For Food, Drink And Farming Sector Stakeholders

Posted on by Leave a comment

The Agri-Food chain stakeholder team at Defra has shared guidance to ensure that businesses are ready for a potential ‘no deal’ scenario

Stakeholders in the food, drink and farming sectors need to be prepared for EU exit

Stakeholders in the food, drink and farming sectors need to be prepared for EU exit

Background

As part of preparations for exiting the EU, Defra are continuing to create guidance to ensure that businesses are aware of forthcoming changes and ready for day one in a potential ‘no deal’ scenario. The Agri-Food Chain Stakeholder Engagement team has shared seven key food, drink and agriculture related government communications that have been released in recent days and weeks.

How to import organic produce if the UK leaves the EU with no deal – Certificate of Inspection

If the UK leaves the EU with no deal, the way in which we import organic produce will change as we will lose access to TRACES NT. Imports from third countries (excluding the EU, EEA and Switzerland until 31 December 2020) will still require a Certificate of Inspection (CoI). This will be a UK CoI and will be a manual system for an interim period until an electronic replacement is available. This system mirrors the system that was in place 17 months ago.

Defra have circulated the CoI template, guidance and resources to a number of stakeholders and are working on updating their webpages.

For any questions contact megan.young@defra.gov.uk

Please find information that the food and drink sector need to know before we leave the EU. This is a helpful tool that can be shared with your members and supply chains. Included are social media assets, flyers, animations and posters.

Nutrition and health claims on foods if there’s no EU Exit deal

The UK nutrition and health claims register sets out all authorised and rejected nutrition and health claims. In the event of a no-deal EU Exit, only authorised claims in the register may be used in the UK. Find more information from Department for Health and Social Care.

Vitamins and minerals in foods if there’s no EU Exit deal

Department for Health and Social Care have also released the UK register and associated guidance which specifies which vitamins and minerals may be added to foods, and any substances that are banned or restricted, in the event of a no-deal EU Exit.

VAT on goods you move from Ireland to Northern Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

HMRC have released information and guidance for UK businesses who move goods from Ireland to Northern Ireland. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, import VAT will be due on goods that are moved from Ireland to Northern Ireland at the relevant rate. If you move goods into Northern Ireland from any other country, or from Ireland directly to Great Britain, you should follow the relevant customs procedures.

Customs procedures for goods moving between Ireland and Northern Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal

There is HMRC guidance for businesses who move goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland. These goods will face different procedures compared to other UK-EU trade if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

UK signs trade continuity agreement with Caribbean countries

Department for International Trade have published a press releasehighlighting that the UK has signed a trade continuity agreement with a series of countries in the Caribbean.

Food and Drink and Farming landing pages

We recommend that stakeholders continue to check for updated no deal guidance on our dedicated landing page for the food and drink sector. There is also a farming sector landing page. These pages have been created to ensure that EU Exit guidance is easy to find. The landing pages combine all relevant EU Exit guidance in the case of a no deal scenario for the Food and Drink and farming sector stakeholders and are updated regularly with new no deal communications as they become live.

UK, Norway And Iceland Sign Trade Continuity Agreement 

Posted on by

The UK has today signed a new trade continuity agreement with Norway and Iceland

UK, Norway and Iceland

UK, Norway and Iceland

A trade continuity agreement will see British businesses and consumers benefitting from continued trade with Iceland and Norway after we leave the European Union.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to Europe, Andrew Mitchell, signed the UK- Iceland-Norway agreement on trade in goods in London today (2nd April 2019) with Stefán Haukur Jóhannesson, Ambassador of Iceland to the UK, and Wegger Christian Strømmen, Ambassador of Norway to the UK.

The news has been welcomed by businesses including Grimsby Fish Dock, who say it will help to support jobs and ensure they can keep trading without significant disruption.

The agreement covers trade in goods and will only be used in a no deal scenario. It maintains the same level of tariffs on goods traded between the UK, Iceland and Norway.

Trading on these preferential terms in a no deal scenario, rather than on World Trade Organization terms, will deliver significant savings and help to safeguard British jobs.

British businesses could avoid up to £15 million a year in tariff charges on exports that would otherwise apply if an agreement wasn’t in place.

The UK’s trade with Iceland and Norway was worth around £30 billion last year, with just over £24 billion of this in goods.

Consumers and businesses in the UK will continue to benefit from more choice and lower prices on goods imported from Iceland and Norway, such as aluminium products and some fuel and oil products.

HM Trade Commissioner for Europe Andrew Mitchell said:

Today’s agreement secures continued preferences for goods trade with Iceland and Norway for British businesses, as we prepare to leave the EU. These are key trading partners with whom we have a longstanding and historic trading relationship.

Our trade with Iceland and Norway was worth around £30 billion last year, with just over £24 billion of this in goods. This is good news for British businesses and we have a golden opportunity to further liberalise trade with these countries in the years ahead.

Grimsby Fish Market has welcomed the news, which it believes will be of benefit to businesses and consumers alike. The market has one of the largest daily auctions and the largest concentration of fish processors anywhere in the UK.

The town has strong links with Icelandic and Norwegian fishing industries with up to 75% of all the fish sold on the Grimsby Fish Market coming from Iceland and the majority of the fish sold to Grimsby fish processors coming from Norway.

Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive of market operator Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd, said:

Grimsby relies heavily on Icelandic and Norwegian supplies to the daily fish auction and to the processors.

This trade deal is extremely welcome, in fact vital, as 70% of the fish consumed in the UK is imported, most of that supply coming from Iceland and Norway.

It also gives clarity and confidence to numerous businesses within the Humber region.

The news has also been welcomed by Leonardo Helicopters, who employ nearly 2,800 people at their base in Yeovil, Somerset.

The company has a contract worth more than £1 billion to supply search and rescue helicopters to Norway and support them in service for the next 15 years.

Geoff Munday, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK said:

Leonardo welcomes the signing of the UK-Iceland-Norway trade agreement as Norway is an important export market for our UK designed and manufactured helicopters and airborne electronic systems.

We have been doing business with Norway for nearly 50 years, are currently delivering 16 AW101 new generation search and rescue helicopters and see significant future business opportunities.

The government is seeking continuity for existing EU trade agreements which the UK participates in as a member of the EU. These agreements constitute around 11% of the UK’s trade.

The new UK-Iceland-Norway agreement maintains tariff preferences already in place on goods traded between the UK, Iceland and Norway. It will come into effect from exit day if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

New Online Apps Launched To Transform Careers Advice For Students

Posted on by Leave a comment

The Universities Minister Chris Skidmore launched two apps which empower students to make better choices about where and what to study at university

University Students

University Students

The next generation of students will be able to take greater control of their future career paths through new online apps being launched today, which empower them to make better choices about where and what to study (2 April).

Universities Minister Chris Skidmore unveiled two innovative apps, created by the winners of a Government competition receiving around £150,000 funding each, which set out simple and accessible information about graduate outcomes for prospective students.

The launch of the new tools follow the latest data published by the Department for Education on Thursday showing graduate earnings broken down by subject, which help students and parents to understand likely earnings and employment outcomes from a range of disciplines.

The new online apps, available to access from the developers’ websites today, will help to revolutionise student choice on their future careers, bringing together data on potential future earnings, with information on careers and employment options, and the quality of teaching in an easy to use format. One works as a personalised digital assistant to access information, while the other is a game where players can simulate career paths.

The tools also aim to help students make more informed decisions about the best course and institution for them, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds who may receive less help from their parents to navigate university choices.

Universities Minister Chris Skidmore said:

The importance of choosing where and what you study at university cannot be overstated – it will impact the rest of your professional and personal life.

We have made more information available about institutions and outcomes than ever before, but sometimes the sheer amount of data can be daunting for students to navigate. We want to make it easier and fairer for them to access the information they need to make good higher education and career choices.

That’s why we’ve turned to the power of technology and funded two new apps, empowering students and ensuring they are well equipped to make these life-changing decisions which will help them succeed.

Two contracts were awarded to the winners of the Open Data Competition, one to AccessEd for ThinkUni, which offers students a ‘personalised digital assistant’ bringing together data on universities, courses and financial outcomes that are easy to explore and compare.

While The Profs have created TheWayUp!, a game for students to simulate different graduate career paths to help them make better choices about their future. It also aims to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds set aspirational educational and career goals to increase their chances of achieving them.

Both apps are in open beta and are available online from April 2, operating with the latest information on universities in the UK.

This work is part of the Department’s drive to improve transparency around higher education data, ensuring that information is easy to access for everyone going to university.

Statistics published by the government in June 2018 showed which courses and institutions give graduates the best outcomes, in terms of employment, earnings and teaching quality at universities. In addition the OfS published a data dashboard last week which helps students to see gaps in access, continuation, success and progression at institutions for different groups such as gender, ethnicity and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The apps, launched by the Universities Minister today at EdSpace in the Hackney Campus of New City College, come ahead of the Department’s EdTech Strategy which will be launched shortly, which aims to harness the power of technology in education and unleash young people’s potential.

Scottish Jam Spreads Across The Pond To The US

Posted on by

Today, thousands of people across America will celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly day

Mackays, Scottish Jams, Marmalades and Curds

Mackays, Scottish Jams, Marmalades and Curds

Today (2 April 2019), thousands of people across the US will celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day with a dollop of jam, thanks to the rise in exports from the UK’s biggest seller of jams, marmalades and preserves in the USA, Mackays.

Founded in 1938, Mackays is a family run business producing a unique range of Scottish jams, marmalades and curds for a quality homemade taste. The company’s preserve is made by hand in traditional copper pans, remaining true to Dundee’s history of jam-making.

The US is Mackays’ biggest export market, where its jams are stocked in all 50 states and territories – accounting for 20% of international sales last year. With support from the Department for International Trade (DIT), Mackays’ preserves are now enjoyed in 94 countries worldwide including Australia, China, Guatemala, Guyana, Korea and Peru.

Ross Allen, Director of DIT North America, said:

My kids love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and I am delighted that more Americans are discovering the culinary peaks that can be reached by using top notch Scottish jam.

Mackays is an excellent example of a thriving transatlantic business and I look forward to following the growth of UK food and drink in the United States.

With 165 employees based in its Arbroath jam factory, Mackays fills 25 million jars a year. The company has established a globally recognised brand, with exports now accounting for 32% of its annual turnover of £18 million.

In 2018, the UK exported 50,000 tonnes of jam to 119 markets worldwide, resulting in jam exports rising by 9% to £145 million.

Martin Grant, Managing Director of Mackays, said:

Export is a crucial part of our business and a key driver for Mackays continued high growth; an increase of 25% in the last two years alone.

The popularity of our products in the States is testament to the global appeal of great taste, provenance and authenticity – all vital ingredients that go into each and every jar of Mackays.

Seeing our products embraced and interpreted by different cultures is one of the unspoken joys of export. In our home town of Arbroath, the jam piece – Scots for sandwich! – still suffices which makes seeing our Nordic customers adding lemon curd to baked fish or our friends in American combining jam with peanut butter such a treat.

New British Envoy Welcomes Home Malaysian Chevening Scholars

Posted on by Leave a comment

H.E Charles Hay welcomes back Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017/18 academic year and signs MoU with new Chevening partner in Malaysia - the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation

British High Commissioner, H.E. Charles Hay MVO welcoming back Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017-18 academic year

British High Commissioner, H.E. Charles Hay MVO welcoming back Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017-18 academic year

The new British High Commissioner to Malaysia, His Excellency Charles Hay MVO hosted a reception at his Residence today to mark a double celebration – to welcome back Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017/18 academic year who have completed their post-graduate studies in the UK; and to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Chevening Awards with a reunion of Malaysian Chevening alumni dating back to 1984. At the same event, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to be a Chevening partner.

In his welcome remarks, Hay said:

Education continues to be a key pillar underpinning the relationship between the UK and Malaysia. This is reflected not only in the number partnerships between education institutions from both countries, but also the number of Malaysians studying for a British qualification in the UK and in Malaysia.

Malaysia is today the second largest Chevening recipient in ASEAN. Last year we sent 45 Malaysians to the UK to pursue their post-graduate studies for the 2018/19 academic year under the Chevening programme, and today we welcome back 44 Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017/18 academic year. They now form the 1,600 strong Malaysian Chevening alumni. This large number of Chevening scholarships is made possible by our local partners who provide additional funding to the Chevening programme in Malaysia. I am very pleased to welcome the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation as our latest Chevening partner.

Other Malaysian partners for the Chevening Scholarships for the 2019/20 academic year include The Prudence Foundation, Yayasan Khazanah, CIMB and UK educational institutions.

Jeffrey Cheah Foundation joins list of illustrious Chevening partners

At the event, Jeffrey Cheah Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to fund a Chevening–Jeffrey Cheah Foundation scholar from Malaysia for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 academic years respectively pursuing a medical, physical or life sciences related Masters Course at University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, or Lancaster University.

The University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and Lancaster University are academic partners of the Sunway Education Group.

The MoU was signed by the High Commissioner, and Founder and Chairman of Sunway Group; Founding Trustee of Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO.

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah added:

The Foundation aims to give back to society, and becoming a new Chevening partner allows us to support young, deserving Malaysians with leadership potential to hone their skills and gain invaluable experience in some of the best universities in the world. On returning to Malaysia they will be great assets to our pool of talented people, who will contribute to the betterment of our nation.

The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation is the largest education-focused social enterprise in Malaysia, which owns and governs Sunway Education Group and its 16 learning institutions. Through the unique not-for-profit structure of the Foundation, operating surpluses are ploughed back into the institutions or disbursed as scholarships, research grants and expansion of faculty and facilities to ensure quality education in perpetuity. As of 2018, the Foundation has awarded RM402 million worth of scholarships to thousands of deserving students.

Malaysian Chevening Scholars

The returning batch of Malaysian Chevening scholars from the 2017/18 academic year have graduated from various disciplines in prestigious institutions such as the University of Oxford, King’s College London and London School of Economics.

Shamini Darshini Kaliemuthu, who has obtained a Masters in International Politics at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) said:

My Chevening experience was a year of soaking in some serious learning, rigorous training in international politics and discovering new interests in the field of human rights, which I otherwise would not have found.

The returning scholars were joined by other Chevening alumni from previous years including Azril Mohd Amin, who studied for MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London (2004-2005). He said:

For me, the Chevening experience was a humbling and life-changing one. It gave me amazing opportunities for intellectual freedom, professional development and networking. On a personal level, I benefited immensely from the wisdom and support of my former teachers and fellow scholars who remain valued friends.

Other notable Chevening alumni in Malaysia over the past 35 years include former CIMB Group Chairman Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak, former Managing Director of Khazanah Nasional Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and WWF Malaysia’s Head of Policy & Climate Change, Lavanya Iyer.

« Older Entries