British wine producers are leading talks about forging new global trade deals in the wake of Brexit.
Speaking at the WSTA conference today, CEO Miles Beale will announce work has already started on model trade agreements for wines and spirits in Australian and New Zealand that could become global blueprints to be rolled out post-Brexit.
The deal could make wine from Australia, of which the UK is already the biggest importer, cheaper and pave the way for even bigger growth in a booming market, said Beale.
Beale said there was “warm and broad-based support” in both countries for deals with the UK. “Trade in wines and spirits is mutually beneficial and all negotiators must and should recognise this,” he argued. “We have no intention of idly waiting around for Brexit to happen; we have to take action now. We hope the UK government will welcome our initiative.”
Theresa May announced last month that she is preparing the ground for free trade deals with Australia and other non-EU countries, a move backed by Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The UK is the largest importer and consumer of Australian and New Zealand wines, with the latest yearly sales showing £1.5bn worth of Australian wine was sold in the UK, up 3%. One in five bottles of wine sold in the UK is Australian.
New Zealand is the only origin seeing double-digit percentage growth consistently, with yearly sales of over half a billion pounds in the UK, up 17%.
Beale added: “It is essential we maintain our pole position in the global drinks market. The UK has a hugely successful wine and spirit industry and is perhaps the key hub for international trade. While the UK cannot formally negotiate with the New Zealand and Australian governments yet, the industry can prepare most of the ground in advance. That is precisely what the WSTA intends doing.”
In a poll carried out by YouGov for the WSTA’s Market Report, also published today, of those who were certain of what they wanted out of a trade deal, 86% said they wanted a free trade deal with the EU and 87% said they wanted a free trade deal with non-EU countries.
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