Brexit LIVE: ‘Lots of concern’ Furious fishing row erupts as Falklands hammered by tariffs

Lord Frost ranks his performance on delivering Brexit

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Falkland Islands government representative to the UK and Europe Richard Hyslop said the EU is its main market for fishing exports, accounting for “more than 50 percent of our GDP”, and “was an important market for meat exports”. But since the end of the Brexit transition period in January 2021, the Falkland Islands’ exports have been hammered by tariffs, with an average of 42 percent for meat and between six percent and 18 percent for fisheries exports. Boris Johnson has always said his Government fully backs the UK fishing industry and that the country would “take back control” after Brexit.

Mr Hyslop said the Falkland Islands Government is “exploring a wide range of options” to see how the tariffs could be removed, adding: “This is not an easy task, but we remain confident that at some point we will be successful.

“We have already made some limited progress in having the tariff temporarily removed in a small percentage of our exports.”

Derek Twigg, chairman of the Falkland Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), said there had “been a lot of concern” over the impact of Brexit on the Falkland Islands’ fishing exports, such as squid.

He said: “Work is going on with the Falklands government and countries like Spain and the EU to try and ease those challenges around that because it’s such a big exporter.”

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  • Falkland Islands: Confidence over removing tariffs to EU on ‘small percentage’ of fishing exports07:59

    • Falkland Islands: Confidence over removing tariffs to EU on ‘small percentage’ of fishing exports

    A Labour former defence minister has expressed confidence over solving problems the Falkland Islands’ fishing industry has with tariffs on exports to the EU since the UK left the EU.

    The Falklands’ fishing industry hammered by tariffs for exports to the bloc since the end of the Brexit transition period in January 2021.

    Derek Twigg, chairman of the Falkland Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), said there had “been a lot of concern” over the impact of Brexit on Falkland Islands fishing exports, such as squid.

    Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “Brexit has brought problems for the islands in terms of the fisheries, because their fishery… is a very much large part of their economy, particularly squid, particularly the type of squid they have which is exported to Europe.”

    He insisted work is ongoing with the Falklands Government and countries like Spain and the EU to ease those challenges, and they remain confident “that at some point we will be successful£” after making “some limited progress in having the tariff temporarily removed in a small percentage of our exports”.

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