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Mr McAleer participated in a roundtable event in the EU Parliament last week, where MLAs from the main parties engaged with MEPs, ambassadors, the NI Executive Office in Brussels and vice-president of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič.

Speaking afterwards, the West Tyrone representative said: “The Tory imposed Brexit is having a hugely negative impact on farms, small businesses and wider society here in the north.

“I, therefore, welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with the EU Commission and MEPs to highlight some of these issues.  There were frank and constructive exchanges between MEPs, MLAs and the commission and I took the opportunity to highlight how the loss of the EU Rural Development Programme and the uncertainty over the future of the Single Farm Payment was having a negative impact on rural communities.

Declan McAleer MLA pictured with European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič at the EU-MLA engagement in Brussels last week.

“I also highlighted how the post-Brexit British Home Office immigration rules were having a very damaging impact on the agrifood sector in accessing workers, and I also highlighted concerns that the NI Protocol Bill, which is currently going through the House of Lords, could undermine our access to the EU market.  Given that the north has access to the EU single market, EU legislation and standards applies here across a range of areas.”

McAleer highlights impact of Brexit with EU Commission