THE Scottish Government and NFU Scotland have written to Westminster demanding assurances over current and future holders of protected food names in future trade deals in Europe, with Fergus Ewing criticising current moves as “unnecessary and potentially catastrophic.”

Concerns have been raised following the UK Government’s intention to keep a UK system of PFN separate from the European system. This would in practice mean food producers who require future name protection will have to apply to both the UK Government and European Commission if they wish to receive protection in the UK and European Union; adding yet another layer of bureaucracy to farmers.

In a letter to three Secretaries of State, NFU Scotland has called for the current system of mutual recognition of PFNs with Europe to be maintained.

“Given the huge uncertainties generated by Brexit, it will come as no surprise that we are extremely concerned that the food name protections we have just now could be lost under new trade deals if we do not maintain the existing system of mutual recognition with the European Union,” stressed NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick.

“Currently, food producers apply to the UK Government or devolved administrations who then take the application to the European Commission,” he explained. “The understanding of NFUS is that the UK Government’s proposed position in dealing with new applications will add an additional bureaucratic step.

“We are calling on the UK Government to seek a memorandum of understanding of mutual recognition for food name protection,” he continued. “This would mean that if the UK Government gives protection to a UK food product then this will also be given to the product in the European Union, equally if the European Commission gives protection to a European food product then the UK Government will adopt protection for this product in the United Kingdom.

Scotland’s rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing reiterated the sentiments of NFU Scotland, expressing his concerns over mutual recognition in a letter to DEFRA secretary Michael Gove: “It is now clear to all that recognition of GIs is a “red line” issue for the EU in the negotiations on the draft Withdrawal Agreement. If there is no mutual recognition in UK and EU agreed for GIs from the outset, then there is likely to be a position of limbo for current UK GI holders,” he explained. “I do not need to tell you how damaging this would be for producers of our GI products.

“Your Government has asserted that your ‘number one objective’ is to protect UK Geographic Indications in the EU market place,” he questioned. “However, the position your Government is taking - assuming that UK GIs will have continued protection in Europe even though you are not prepared to provide protection in the UK other than for UK GIs - is risky.

“While it is correct to maintain that there is currently no legal mechanism for the EU to decide unilaterally to declassify a GI, there is obviously nothing to prevent the EU from legislating to make that possible,” he stressed.

“This is a risk that we are astonished that the UK Government appears to consider worth taking. I therefore implore you and your Government to act swiftly and decisively to avoid this unnecessary and potentially catastrophic situation for the best interest of our producers, not just here in Scotland, but across the UK,” he concluded.