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Brexit: farming, fishing and animal welfare

How will exiting the European Union affect the UK's farming and fishing industries? Read research and analysis from Parliament's libraries and committees on the impact of Brexit.

Farming

Farm payments in a no-deal Brexit
Commons Library Insight, updated 18 October 2019
The UK will leave the Common Agricultural Policy when it leaves the EU. But what happens to farm payments in the event of no deal?

No deal Brexit: What happens to farm payments?
Commons Library research briefing, 13 August 2019
Outlines the Government's plans to continue to pay farmers after exit day and the legal measures to enable this to happen

The future of Scottish agriculture post-Brexit
Scottish Affairs Committee report, 31 July 2019
Argues that Brexit presents an opportunity to address failings in the agriculture funding formula in Scotland

Scrutiny of the Agriculture Bill
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, 27 November 2018
Calls on the Government to ensure imported food products are held to current British standards as part of any future trade deal

Brexit and agriculture in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report, 22 October 2018
Calls on the Government to explain how agriculture policy in Northern Ireland will be devised without an Executive and in advance of Brexit

The Agriculture Bill
Commons Library research briefing, updated 25 October 2018
Overview of the bill, which provides for a range of enabling powers as the UK exits from the EU's Common Agricultural Policy

Brexit: UK agriculture policy
Commons Library research briefing, updated 11 September 2018
Overview of the key issues facing agriculture policy after the UK starts operating outside of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy

Brexit: priorities for Welsh agriculture
Welsh Affairs Committee report, 9 July 2018
Highlights key priorities for UK–EU negotiations and calls on the Government to initiate policies to support Welsh agriculture

The policy framework for agriculture after the UK leaves the EU
Commons Library research briefing, 31 January 2018
Overview of post-Brexit scenarios for UK agriculture, including further reading list

Agriculture, fisheries and the rural economy
Lords Library research briefing, 30 October 2017
Sets out statistics on agriculture, fisheries and the rural economy, and explores the opportunities and challenges for each sector

Migrant workers in agriculture
Commons Library research briefing, 4 July 2017
Examines current concerns within the industry about labour shortages and the impact that Brexit might have on labour supply

Fishing, farming and UK consumers after Brexit
Commons Library Insight, 23 June 2017
Examines post-Brexit development of policy on agriculture and fisheries, and future trade agreements in these areas

Brexit: agriculture
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee report, 3 May 2017
Explores the implications of Brexit for UK agriculture and food, in particular leaving the Common Agriculture Policy and Single Market

Progress on the Common Agricultural Policy Delivery Programme
Public Accounts Committee report, 10 February 2017
Argues that the Government has not accessed the impact of delayed subsidy payments on farmers or the rural community

Effect of the UK leaving the EU on the rural economy
Commons Library research briefing, 16 January 2017
Information for the debate on the possible impact of EU withdrawal on the rural economy

Food

Brexit: food prices and availability
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee report, 10 May 2018
Examines whether and how Brexit might affect the price and availability of food for UK consumers

Leaving the EU: food safety
Lords Library research briefing, 26 April 2018
Overview of food safety law and regulating bodies in the UK, the implications of Brexit for food safety and the impact of new trade deals

Brexit: trade in food
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, 18 February 2018
Considers the effect of 'no deal' on trade in different agri-food sectors, calling for better preparation to safeguard UK farmers

Fishing

Fisheries and Brexit
Commons Library research briefing, updated 30 October 2019
Examines the UK's exit from the EU Common Fisheries Policy in terms of the withdrawal agreement, future trade deals and no-deal Brexit

The Fisheries Bill 2017–19
Commons Library research briefing, updated 11 April 2019
Examines the bill that will allow the UK to manage fisheries within its territorial waters once it has left the Common Fisheries Policy

Fisheries: implementation and enforcement of EU landing obligation
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee report
Says there is little evidence that fishers are complying with the EU landing obligation and the UK is not ready for full implementation

Beyond the Common Fisheries Policy: Scrutiny of the Fisheries Bill
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, 20 January 2019
Calls on the Government to utilise the opportunities presented by the bill to address concerns raised about the Common Fisheries Policy

Fisheries management in the UK
Commons Library research briefing, 5 December 2018
Overview of how fisheries are currently managed in the UK within the EU's Common Fisheries Policy

Fisheries: Brexit Negotiations
Commons Library research briefing, updated 3 December 2018
Sets out the main areas that need to be addressed in negotiations, what has been agreed and the implications of a no deal for fisheries

Brexit and Northern Ireland: fisheries
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report, 15 September 2018
Calls on the Government to act now to ensure the Northern Ireland fishing industry can seize the opportunities presented by Brexit

Future UK fisheries policy
Commons Library research briefing, 23 February 2018
Overview of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, a UK Fisheries Bill to replace it and whether a transition period is required

UK fisheries management
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 21 February 2018
Summarises the science used to inform management, current approaches to EU fisheries, and future challenges and opportunities

UK sea fisheries statistics
Commons Library research briefing, 5 December 2017
Trends in the UK sea fishing industry including landings, employment, fleet size, trade, and comparisons with other EU countries

Brexit: What next for UK fisheries?
Commons Library research briefing, updated 4 July 2017
Examines how negotiations with the EU and future UK Government policy may affect fishing in the UK

Brexit, the London Convention and coastal fishing rights
Commons Library Insight, 24 March 2017
What is the London Convention, how does it affect coastal fishing access rights and will the Government trigger the exit process?

Brexit: fisheries
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee, 17 December 2016
Highlights some of the opportunities and risks that will arise from disentangling UK fisheries from the EU

Effect of Brexit on agriculture and fisheries in South West England
Commons Library research briefing, 14 October 2016
Information on how exiting the EU might affect farming and fishing in South West England as well as the agricultural labour market

Troubled waters? Negotiating fish quotas post-Brexit
Commons Library Insight, 7 October 2016
Looks at whether the UK can increase fish quotas and what the options are if an agreement cannot be reached

Animal welfare

Brexit and Pet Travel
Commons Library research briefing, 26 September 2019
Examines how the rules for pet travel will change when the UK leaves the EU, both in the case of with a deal and with no deal

Animal sentience and Brexit
Commons Library research briefing, updated 8 July 2019
Overview of animal sentience and the Government proposal to transfer recognition of animal sentience into UK legislation after Brexit

Debate on ending the export of live farm animals after Brexit
Commons Library research briefing, 21 February 2018
Information on exporting live animals to EU countries ahead of the debate on an e-petition calling for a ban after the UK leaves the EU

Live animal exports
Commons Library research briefing, 21 February 2018
Overview of the EU regulations protecting animals during transport and ongoing campaigns calling for a ban on live exports for slaughter

Brexit: farm animal welfare
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee report, 25 July 2017
Urges the Government to ensure that high animal welfare standards are maintained after Brexit

Animal welfare standards in farming after Brexit
Commons Library research briefing, 19 January 2017
Information on animal welfare standards in farming after Brexit, listing related press articles and Parliamentary material

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