Local agri-food sector to benefit from UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement
The UK and Switzerland have signed a free trade agreement, which according to Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) secretary Emma Reynolds will boost prospects for farmers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
She explained: “Switzerland is already a £195 million market for British food and drink, and this deal will open the door to even more.”
The DEFRA minister also confirmed that, for the first time ever, UK lamb will enter Switzerland tariff-free. Beef and dairy and English sparkling wine will all benefit from lower tariffs too.
Reynolds continued: “This government has delivered a deal that gives British farmers and producers a real competitive edge without compromising our high standards or interests of our farmers."
NFU President Tom Bradshaw agrees. He said: "This is a great example of a balanced deal. We appreciate the government’s efforts to secure competitive access to the Swiss market for UK farmers – something the NFU has called for since the very start of these negotiations.
"The deal will provide exciting opportunities for our beef, lamb, dairy and viticulture sectors, and UK consumers can be reassured that Swiss imports have been produced to high standards.”
Meanwhile, DEFRA is confirming a number of key agri-food developments that emanate from the new trade deal.
Specifically, London has secured a deal with Switzerland that will give UK agri-food and drink exports a competitive edge in a market already worth almost £200 million a year while safeguarding UK farming interests and upholding high British production standards.
Switzerland maintains one of the world’s most protected agricultural markets. However, the UK has struck a balanced deal that delivers valuable new opportunities for exporters of lamb, selected beef and dairy products, while protecting domestic producers by offering no new access on pork, poultry and eggs.
For the first time, British lamb exports will benefit from zero tariffs under Switzerland’s quota system, opening the door to greater opportunities for one of the UK’s flagship farming sectors.
High-quality UK beef steaks will also enjoy a 35% tariff reduction under the Swiss quota regime. This new deal gives British lamb a competitive edge over other markets like the EU, Australia and New Zealand, who currently face standard tariffs that the UK will no longer face in quota.
The deal will unlock improved access for UK dairy exporters, with tariffs cut by up to 50% on products such as milk powder, building on the sector’s existing tariff-free access for cheese. In return, the UK has made only a very limited offer on certain dairy lines.
UK fruit and vegetable growers will benefit from improved seasonal access to the Swiss market, with tariffs falling to as low as 0% on a wide range of products, including peas, carrots and broad beans.
Subject to Swiss processes, the UK government should bed to protect a further 28 UK Geographical Indications (GIs) in Switzerland, including Traditional Welsh Caerphilly and Ayrshire New Potatoes, thereby helping these iconic food and drink products thrive in the Swiss market. This is in addition to the 66 GIs currently protected under the existing UK-Switzerland Agriculture Agreement.
The agreement also includes a new sanitary and phyto sanitary (SPS) chapter to make trade smoother and more predictable, strengthening UK-Swiss cooperation through faster information sharing, reducing red tape at the border and helping resolve trade issues more quickly.