Brexit trade war: Frost prepares to ban EU’s bottled water as tensions threaten to explode
Brexit: Expert discusses 'success' for the UK government
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A senior government source told the Sunday Express that the government is waiting for the trade deal to be ratified by the EU at the end of April before taking action.
If it fails to meet the deadline the trade deal will fall and Britain and the EU will have to go on to World Trade Organisation terms.
But if the trade deal holds then the EU is facing bars to the British market in retaliation to its aggressive approach post Brexit.
The source said: “Unfortunately so far this year the EU’s behaviour has more often than not been divisive.
“Their actions suggest they are more interested in punishing the UK than in cooperation. Ministers are considering potential areas of leverage to work in our interests, but our priority is to ensure a friendly and productive relationship, and we are working at pace to deliver that.”
The letter has been coordinated by North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen who also took advice from Kettering MP Philip Hollobone who was a drinking water analyst before entering Parliament.
ERG members have pointed out that not only is British drinking water the safest in the world but the same argument the EU has usd for banning British shellfish applies to bottled water from Europe. EU officials have claimed they cannot allow British shellfish because they cannot be sure of the quality of the water it has come from.
But Mr Bridgen and his colleagues have also pointed out that 25 percent of bottled water from the EU comes from taps and is not necessarily cleaner and all water in plastic bottles absorbs toxins from the plastic.
It is thought about £17 billion of water is imported to Britain from the EU making it a bigger market than shellfish.
The MPs said: “We are therefore urging you to consider a ban of the importation of bottled water products from the EU.
“This could all be replaced with domestic products, and would also have significant environmental benefits, as there can be few things more wasteful than transporting bottled water and its packaging around the world.
“Such action would result in little loss to the UK economy or jobs overall and we think it would focus minds in the EU.”
“They also raised other concerns about EU food standards “as only this week five people are suspected to have died and hundreds more became seriously ill after eating contaminated chicken imported from the EU.”
They added: “Throughout the last four years of negotiations, and in particular with regard to the interpretation of legal agreements, the EU have taken every advantage of playing the cad and the UK have had every disadvantage of playing the gentleman.
“It’s time for the UK to make a stand and say “Eau No” to the EU, until they lift their ban on UK shellfish.”
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