I was proud to establish the All Party Parliamentary Group for Geographically Protected Foods and I’m delighted with its role in shaping these protections, ensuring local foods like Stilton and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, are at the heart of trade negotiations as we saw with the new UK-Japan deal which will protect 70 GIs
I welcome the ambitious protections for geographically protected foods contained in the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
The UK Government was able to go much further than the EU-Japan Agreement, by extending the number of GIs recognised from just seven to potentially over 70. This includes some of the best produce in the world, Melton Mowbray pork pies, Stilton cheese, Rutland Bitter, Malt whiskey, English sparkling wine, Yorkshire Wensleydale and Welsh lamb.
This deal is a brilliant first step in recognising the contributions of our amazing food producers and opening markets for our phenomenal food and drink products. GIs boost local economies and fly the flag for our nation’s culinary heritage abroad. I am very glad that their importance has been recognised by both the UK and Japan in these intense negotiations.
Indeed, the Trade Secretary even gifted the Japanese Foreign Minister some Stilton to mark this historic deal!
This deal will boost British trade by £15 billion and help our food producers access new markets. This really does represent a new chapter for our country.
