UK farms need transitional EU deal to avoid risk of 'disastrous' WTO terms: report

London

THE UK government needs to agree on a transition deal with the European Union to prevent the "potentially disastrous" effects on the nation's farms of trading on World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, according to a parliamentary report.

A phased transition when Britain leaves the EU is essential, particularly for the agriculture and food industry, so that the UK has time to negotiate trade deals with other nations, said a House of Lords panel. The EU makes up about 80 per cent of Britain's agricultural export market.