Each of our Toxic Trade reports and briefings contains a full list of recommendations, many of which are specific to the Free Trade Agreement in question. The following recommendations for the UK Government apply to all trade agreements across the board:
- Do not allow any weakening of UK pesticide standards via post-Brexit trade agreements. This must include:
- Ensuring that no currently banned pesticides are allowed for use in the UK
- Ensure that food containing detectable residues of currently banned substances cannot be imported into the UK
- Ensure that Maximum Residue Levels are maintained or strengthened.
- Ensure a level-playing field for UK farmers by maintaining existing UK pesticide standards, thereby enabling them to continue exporting to the EU.
- Prevent UK farmers from being disadvantaged by cheap food imports produced to weaker pesticide standards in non-EU countries.
- Maintain the Precautionary Principle as the basis upon which all pesticide-related decisions are made and strengthen its implementation. This includes maintaining the so called ‘hazard-based’ approach to pesticide authorisations.
- Preserve the power for the UK to exercise its right to go above and beyond the status quo and applicable international standards to continually strive for higher levels of consumer and environmental protection.
- Introduce additional legislative protections to ensure that any change to food safety standards or environmental protections subsumed in trade agreements can only be introduced via primary legislation.
- Ensure that trade agreements are developed in the open with the opportunity for full democratic scrutiny.