Following Brexit, the E.U. and the U.K. have yet to settle the issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The latter is a member of the E.U. and the former is a territory within the United Kingdom. In practice there should be a hard border between the two adjoining territories but in the interim, free movement continues. Imposing a customs barrier could result in dissolution of the Good Friday agreement that resolved factional strife in Northern Ireland. At this time the E.U. has complained that the U.K. has breached the withdrawal treaty since the minister responsible for Northern Ireland extended the grace period for controls.
If Britain formally adopted the E.U. veterinary and food-safety standards that pertained prior to Brexit, virtually all the checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would be superfluous. This however would create an immense barrier for bilateral trade agreements including the proposed pact between the U.K. and the U.S.
It is noted that Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. a subsidiary of JBS SA, owns Moy Park, a major broiler producer in the U.K. headquartered in Northern Ireland with facilities in England and the E.U.
Achieve harmony among regulations and negotiating trade deals with pressure from vested groups concerned over competition will require diplomatic ingenuity and goodwill.