UK suspends trade deal negotiations with Canada
The UK has suspended post-Brexit trade deal negotiations with Canada, which had been ongoing for the past two years, due to disagreements over meat and cheese.
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According to reports in the British press, trade between the UK and Canada had been continuing through the rollover of an existing agreement following the UK's departure from the European Union, while the two countries had been conducting negotiations for a new post-Brexit trade deal for the last two years.
However, the UK has decided to halt the negotiations, which began in March 2022, due to a dispute regarding trade in meat and cheese.
The reports included a statement from a British government spokesperson, who said, "Trade negotiations are a complex process, but sometimes it is right to pause if progress is not being made. We remain open to restarting talks with Canada in the future to build a stronger trading relationship."
Canada had previously requested concessions regarding the export of "hormone-treated beef," which is restricted under British regulations.
UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch also stated earlier this week that Canada was very restrictive regarding dairy products and that this situation had "created a challenging environment for discussion."