THE passing of an EU-Canada free trade deal threatens some of Scotland's most famous global brands such as the Arbroath smokie and exposes a "breathtaking failure" by Westminster, says Scotland's economy secretary.
The final agreement between the European Union and Canada supported by the UK government and now passed by the European Parliament has failed to protect any British produce - because it is understood UK ministers failed to add any to the deal.
It means that global brands such as Scottish salmon, Scotch beef and lamb, Stornoway black pudding, Orkney cheddar and Ayrshire Dunlop cheese as well as the Cornish pasty and Cumberland sausages and Jersey royal potatoes that enjoy EU protection, could be threatened by a cheap Canadian fakes.
MEPs overwhelmingly by 408-254 backed the The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) deal which has been seven years in the making and will eliminated almost all trade tariffs between the European Union and Canada.
Of those it is understood 27 British MEPs voted in favour and 22 rejected it, including two of the six Scottish MEPs, both from the SNP.
Economy secretary Keith Brown said: "This is a breathtaking failure by the UK Government which threatens the future of some of Scotland’s most iconic foodstuffs, including Scotch beef, Stornoway black pudding, Scottish wild salmon, the Arbroath smokie and Dundee cake. And at the same time, risks jobs, businesses and incomes.
"It also shows why Westminster cannot be trusted to protect Scotland’s interests in any Brexit related negotiations. If they cannot get it right for our valuable food and drink sector even while we are still in the EU, what hope is there of UK ministers promoting our needs and interests in future trade negotiations caused by their choosing to impose a hard Brexit.”
The SNP MEPs Ian Hudghton and Alyn Smith voted against citing concerns which included the European protection of Scottish food and fisheries products which they said "were insufficiently represented due to the failure of the UK government to put them forward into the texts".
Details of the final EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement showed that while there are a host of products from other EU nations that were to be protected from Edam in Holland and Roquefort cheese in France to Prosciutto ham in Italy and Münchener Bier in Germany, there are no British products listed.
Campaigners first brought the issue to ministers' attention two years ago, but the final agreement backed by the UK government last week remains free of British produce.
Campaigners Global Justice Now said this meant that brands that have a geographical protected status in Europe were not in CETA, and so iconic brands such as Scottish lamb, beef or salmon sold in Canada would not be protected.
Nick Dearden, the director of Global Justice Now said: "With the CETA vote today all of the EU have lurched closer towards a disastrous deal that threatens public services, consumer standards and the labour rights. The UK is uniquely worse off that its European counterparts in that our trade negotiators didn’t bother to protect any regional food stuffs as part of this deal."
The GMB union said that it was a "toxic" free trade deal which means that the UK will lose control of its ability to decide which public services are outsourced and which are not.
It said multinational companies will be able to influence UK laws covering food safety and environment and, "worst of all, corporations will be given the ability to sue the British government if it does anything to affect their projected profits".
Bert Schouwenburg, GMB's International officer, said: “We have been repeatedly been told by the Government that Brexit means taking back control.
“Yet in voting for CETA, Conservative MEPs gave their seal of approval to a toxic trade and investment deal that will give unprecedented power and influence not just to Canadian multinational companies but also to US corporations, 85% of whom have subsidiaries in Canada.
“This is effectively a trade deal with the USA via the back door and, if allowed to proceed, will do irreparable harm to the British economy and seriously undermine the concept of a sovereign British state.”
A Department for International Trade spokesman said: “The UK government welcomes the European Parliament’s vote to approve the CETA trade deal, which will benefit consumers and provide opportunities for British businesses.
“We now look forward to working with British companies across all sectors to ensure they take full advantage.”
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