Export tariffs on products such as cheese, poultry and pork will be reduced by the UK’s new trade deal with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, while import tariffs on some fish will also be cut, the government says.
The deal, agreed in principle, significantly cuts tariffs as high as 277% for exporters to Norway of West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar, Traditional Welsh Caerphilly and Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese. There are also tariff reductions and quotas on pork, poultry and other goods.
Reduced import tariffs on shrimps, prawns and haddock will shrink costs for UK fish processing, the government claimed.
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss said: “Today’s deal will be a major boost for our trade with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, growing an economic relationship already worth £21.6 billion, while supporting jobs and prosperity in all four nations at home.”
Included in the deal are ‘cutting-edge digital provisions’ that the government stated will limit unnecessary paperwork and allow goods to move seamlessly across borders with the use of electronic documents, contracts and signatures.