Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the UK fishing industry will be able to export tariff free and without customs checks to EU markets after the transition period.

The objective of the future economic partnership between the UK and the EU is to provide for no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors. It would also provide for ambitious customs arrangements which builds on and improves the single customs territory provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement.

Under the Withdrawal Agreement, if the UK does not agree a trade agreement with the EU (and we subsequently need to enter the backstop) then fish products could be subject to tariffs unless a fisheries agreement is in place. The political declaration that accompanies the Withdrawal Agreement is clear that both the UK and EU will use their best endeavours to conclude and ratify a new fisheries agreement by 1 July 2020 so that it is in place in time to be used for determining fishing opportunities for the first year after the transition period.