The EU agri-food chain supports the continuation of the negotiations in the coming weeks. The sector is pleased the EU reaffirmed its determination to have a close partnership with the UK on the basis of the EU negotiations directives, while maintaining the integrity of the single market.

Nevertheless, it's a tale of another summit and another very worrying outcome for Europe's farmers, agri-cooperatives, food businesses and traders. Where our businesses seek certainty, they are given confusion. Where they seek speed, they have delay.

Businesses in the food and farming sectors are under intense strain from COVID-19, and now a devastating no deal looms ever closer - a result which will heap more pressure on businesses, threaten thousands of jobs and put a large dent in annual EU-UK trade worth €58 billion.

Copa and Cogeca and Celcaa are calling the European Commission to carefully consider the impacts of Brexit on the European agri-food sector and ensure that it will substantially and swiftly benefit from the 5 billion Brexit Adjustment Reserve.

Exceptional circumstances require exceptional measures. Therefore, the groups call on the EU to make structural and adjustment funding available to the agri-food sector (from outside of the CAP budget).

At the same time, the EU needs to develop and rapidly implement pragmatic supporting measures to counteract the negative impacts of this process, and on the UK to swiftly clarify regulatory unknowns, so that the agri-food chain can continue to operate and provide safe, affordable and accessible food to consumers whether under a deal or no-deal scenario.