UK/EU reset deal 'a good start' to removing Brexit barriers

Senior politicians in the Channel Islands have welcomed the UK/EU reset deal which is set to bring benefits for trade, travel and cutting red tape.

The islands were represented at a summit at Downing Street last night (19 May) following Sir Keir Starmer's announcement of agreements with the EU described a 'new era' in relations with the bloc.

It is set to make it easier for producers to export food - such as shellfish and dairy products - to Europe, lead to fewer hold-ups at border control for travellers and, eventually, led to a means for young people to live and work abroad.

Read: UK-EU trade deal: What is in the Brexit reset agreement?

Both Jersey and Guernsey's governments have described it as a 'good start' to removing some of the frictions caused by Brexit - the UK's exit from the European Union in 2020.

Much of the national reporting has focused on a row over EU access to British fishing waters - with the deal allowing member states able to fish in UK waters for a further 12 years.  However, the islands' own separate arrangements are unchanged.

Jersey's External Relations Minister Deputy Ian Gorst told us:

"That bit doesn't affect Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.  We had a separate article in the Brexit agreement article, called the TCA, and that was always going to remain the same.  It took us a long time to sort out access and licences.  That now is in place.  It is governed by the agreement - there is no change to that.

"Whilst Brexit gave us the right to manage our own waters, it created a whole load of friction for our fishermen to land (their catch) directly in France.  It created a whole load of bureaucracy for wholesalers that were exporting into France and the rest of Europe.

"With an SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary measures) agreement  - if it is got right, and the detail will need to be worked on - a lot of that friction goes away and we will have management of our own waters, and trade without very much friction."

Other aspects of the UK/EU reset deal will make life easier for holidaymakers.

British passport holders in the Channel Islands will be able to use more eGates in Europe to avoid the long border control queues that have become the norm since Brexit in many EU countries.  Deputy Gorst explained:

"It's up to each individual country to allow British passport holders to use those eGates, but talking last night to UK Ministers, they are confident this will roll out over time, so that is a really positive thing for Channel Islanders travelling into Europe."

In addition, pet passports will be brought back so cats and dogs being taken on trips to France will no longer need pricey animal health certificates for every trip. 

There'll be further negotiations on a way of allowing 18 to 30 year olds to limited free movement to work, study and volunteer abroad, a so-called youth mobility or youth experience scheme.

Deputy Gorst says he has long been lobbying Brussels and Westminster on that.

"I am really pleased that is there.

"There is an in-principle agreement that there will be a youth experience scheme.  That can only be good for Jersey relationships with EU member states.  It will allow young people to travel and work, and do all those we got used to doing prior to Brexit, in the EU.

It also means we can benefit from EU citizens wanting to do the same here.  We have had difficulties around employment issues since Brexit because European nationals have not wanted to come into the UK or into Jersey, again because of all the bureaucracy."