MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands' Brexit costs considered in the House of Lords

Lord Jones asked what assessment they had made of the Falklands’ EU exports, and the impact of World Trade Organization tariffs on Islands fisheries.

The impact of Brexit on the Falkland Islands has been raised in the UK’s House of Lords, with Lib Dem Lord Nigel Jones tabling questions to the Foreign Office. Lord Jones asked the government what assessment they had made of the Falklands’ EU exports, and the impact of World Trade Organization tariffs on Islands fisheries.

He also asked about steps to ensure the Islands retains tariff and quota-free access to EU markets.

In his written response, Conservative Minister of State Lord Tariq Ahmad said: “The EU is the destination for 94% of the Falkland Islands’ exports of fisheries products, all of which land in Spain. Two thirds of the Falklands’ meat exports go to the UK, and the rest to the EU27. In 2016, the EU27 also accounted for approximately 75% of the Falkland Islands’ wool export.”

Regarding fisheries particularly, Lord Ahmad said: “The EU’s non-preferential import duty on squid stands at six per cent. A small proportion of the Falkland Islands’ other fisheries exports may face duties of up to 18%.

”Such tariffs could, according to the Falkland Islands’ own calculations, result in reduced profits to the industry of between £6 million and £9 million, depending on whether or not the industry passed the cost of the tariff onto the consumer.”

On the question of what steps the government were taking, Lord Ahmad was less specific. “We are committed to negotiating a good deal for the Overseas Territories as part of our negotiations with the EU on the Future Economic Partnership.”

In addition, in a speech this week Baroness Dianne Hayter said the Islands “desperately needs to retain its tariff and quota- free access ... Mrs. Thatcher would not have approved of such disregard of the Falklands.” (Penguin News)