Coronavirus: UK shops would have suffered food shortages during pandemic without single market, EU says

Britain 'fortunate' it had not crashed out of bloc when coronavirus struck, Commission says – even as Boris Johnson vows to do just that if necessary

UK shops would have suffered food shortages during the pandemic without the EU single market, a senior Brussels official says.

In explosive comments, Margaritis Schinas said Britain was “fortunate” it had not crashed out of the bloc when coronavirus struck – even as Boris Johnson vows to do just that in December, if necessary.

It was only the close economic ties of the single market that “kept our supermarkets stocked during these difficult times”, the vice-president of the European Commission argued.

He said: “I think it’s quite fortunate that the United Kingdom goes through the pandemic with the certainty of being part of the single market.

“I don’t want to think what would have happened if the UK would have been subject to the crisis having been out of the single market, as the cliff edge exit could have implied.”

The prime minister has put the UK on the path to that cliff edge, at the end of the year, by refusing to extend the post-Brexit transition period – even with trade talks deadlocked and both sides focused on fighting the pandemic.

Instead, Michael Gove is training up to 50,000 form-fillers who will be needed to complete customs declarations for firms which will be required once trade barriers are erected.

Even if a skeleton trade deal is struck, leaving the single market and customs union will leave businesses in a very similar situation to a no-deal Brexit, they say.

Asked, by BBC News, if the UK would have fared even worse from Covid-19 without the transition period, Mr Schinas replied: “Absolutely.”

Pointing to food flows continuing, despite the pandemic, he argued: “This is precisely because the single market makes sure that this happens.”

On prospects for a trade deal, he added: “We are hopeful that we can have the outlook of a future agreement by 1 January.”

Although supermarkets ran short of key items including eggs, flour and toilet rolls at the start of the crisis, the problems have since eased and stocks are said to be normal.

At one point, George Eustice, the environment secretary, boasted that the government had kept cross-Channel trade flowing – even as it prepares to erect barriers from December.

The UK has insisted a trade deal with the EU can be agreed by December, but has also insisted Brussels must abandon its red lines on fishing rights and rules on worker, consumer and environmental rights.

It leaves the two sides on course for a full breakdown of the talks by the end of next month – the deadline for requesting a transition extension, should Mr Johnson carry out a U-turn.

No 10 has previously said it will begin full-scale preparations for a no-deal in December if progress has not been made by the end of June.