EU: It may be time to review current barley import tariff scheme in view of Brexit - analysts

Terms and timing of the Brexit are uncertain as of today. The U.K. had become a strong and reliable partner in the EU barley and malt business. It brings up the question of whether the whole import tariff scheme should not be revised, the H. M. Gauger GmbH analysts say in their latest report published earlier this month.

The analysts remind that the EU barley and malt markets are protected by import duties of EUR 93,- for barley and EUR 131,- for malt, with barley tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 300 thousand tonnes for all origins and 635 thousand tonnes for Ukraine. World markets of grains and products have become firmer since the introduction of the import schemes many years ago. Wheat and maize tariffs are being calculated against world market prices and have resulted in zero duties over long periods. Barley tariffs are not related to world market prices. In view of the Brexit, it may be time indeed to review the current tariff scheme, the analysts said.

Even for malt the present “prohibition“ tariffs of imports seem outdated, at a time, when the three largest maltsters of the world are French. Will the bureaucracy move? They should also not forget that since 40 years there exists an annual barley import tender, which concerns a non-existent product and has never been used. It should be abolished, the H. M. Gauger GmbH experts insist.

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