Zero tariff on import of geldings in case of no deal Brexit says government

Geldings imported into the United Kingdom within the first 12 months of the country leaving the European Union in a no deal scenario would not be subject to tariffs, government advice published on Wednesday stated.

Leaving the EU's customs union means the UK's trading relationships would be conducted along World Trade Organisation rules rather than the tariff-free arrangement within the single market.

There are no WTO tariffs on 'pure-bred breeding animals' but a tariff of up to 11.5 per cent might have been applied to geldings arriving in the UK, which would have had a dramatic effect on racing and bloodstock with so many gelded horses being imported into the country, especially from Ireland and France in the jumps sector.

However, geldings and other horses do not appear in the temporary tariff regime for no deal Brexit published by the government in preparation for a vote in Parliament on the subject.

The document, “designed to minimise costs to business and consumers while protecting vulnerable industries” according to its authors, would apply to 13 per cent of goods imported into the UK such as meat and vehicles whose manufacture was finished abroad.

The rates are temporary and would be reviewed after a year.

“It represents a modest liberalisation of tariffs and we will be monitoring the economy closely, as well as consulting with businesses, to decide what our tariffs should be after this transitional period,” said trade policy minister George Hollingbery.

The immediate absence of tariffs on geldings in the case of a no deal Brexit will be a relief to those in the Irish racing and bloodstock industry, although it could be argued that the introduction of such a measure would hardly be in the interests of British racing either, as the country's National Hunt racing programme relies so heavily on Irish and French imports at present.

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