The UK government this week published its tariff proposals, which will take effect from start of next year, for Irish exports to the UK in the event that no trade agreement is reached between the UK and EU.

These tariffs will broadly reflect EU tariffs for agriculture and transport, with some rounding and a conversion from euro to sterling using a five-year average for exchange rates. For many consumer goods with low EU tariffs, the UK will eliminate them altogether.

Early in 2019, ahead of the first scheduled Brexit date in March, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed estimated the cost of a no deal Brexit at €1.7bn

With tariffs retained on agricultural produce, this means that Irish boneless beef going into the UK would attract a tariff of £2.53/kg plus 12% of the product value. UK boneless beef entering the EU would attract a tariff of €3.04/kg plus 12.8% of value.

ICOS, who represent 130 Irish co-ops, has estimated the cost of UK tariffs on the 138,000t of cheese and 42,000t of butter exported to the UK in 2019 at €287m

Early in 2019, ahead of the first scheduled Brexit date in March, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed estimated the cost of a no deal Brexit at €1.7bn.

Three rounds of negotiations on a future trade deal between the UK and EU have taken place without any real progress, and a further round is scheduled for the start of June.

Separately, the UK Government are revealing this week how they propose to carry out the checks at Northern Irish ports, as agreed in the Brexit withdrawal agreement.