The UK's Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has launched its manifesto ahead of the upcoming General Election on 8th June.
The organisation has come up with five key matters it wants addressed by political members striving for government, most noticeably stating concerns over Brexit's effect on UK trade.
It highlights the need for free trade deals with the EU, and also calls for an innovative industrial strategy to tackle the high duty burden on UK wine and spirits.
Miles Beale, Chief Executive of WSTA, said that “this snap General Election provides a vital opportunity for the UK's world leading wine and spirit industry.
“We need to communicate to new decision makers what has to be done to ensure that our industry can thrive in today’s new political, economic and social landscape.
“Following our lead a new government can help our industry to continue to grow, innovate and contribute to the already significant £50 billion worth of economic activity and our ground breaking work to reduce alcohol harm.
Five Key Asks
In a press release, WSTA has laid out its five main asks of political parties ahead of upcoming general election. They are as followed;
1. Provide certainty to business via a well-managed Brexit, including sufficient transitional arrangements; and continue to work towards frictionless, tariff free trade with the EU;
2. Promote free trade with non-EU countries, working with the WSTA to develop the best deal for the wine and spirit trade and to promote British produce around the world;
3. Rebalance the excessively high duty burden on UK businesses and consumers by pledging to revise plans to increase wine and spirit duty by 26% (£1.9 billion) over five years;
4. Support proven approaches to reducing alcohol harm through partnership working and self-regulation; and agree to a moratorium on further regulation;
5. Support the Great British wine and spirit industry by promoting sector deals, under an innovative industrial strategy: for wine and spirits, for food and drink and for British hospitality.
Chief Executive Beale added that the WSTA will “be working tirelessly to achieve our key aims: continued, tariff-free movement of wines and spirits to and from the EU; new, tariff-free trade agreements with priority countries outside the EU; and, equally, safe passage of our goods - with no additional checks or delays at borders, even once we have left the Customs Union.”
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O'Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
