He also told a gathering of British ex-pats in Calais, however, that precisely how such ambitions will be turned into reality remains to be seen.
Llewellyn was responding to a question from a former agri-business executive who previously lived and worked in Scotland but is now retired in the north of France.
“After Brexit, with a soft Irish border in place, will there be any restriction on the movement of farm goods, including those originating from NZ, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,” he was asked.
“The whole question of the transport of meat, agricultural goods, food and so on is absolutely at the heart of phase two of the negotiation, which is about to start,” Llewellyn said.
“All I can say is that it is being looked at, including the phytosanitary arrangements that will apply.
“I can’t give you an answer beyond that because it hasn’t been decided yet.”
With the soft border issue having led to serious complaints last year from some French farmers that Ireland could become a back-door route for NZ lamb into the European Union, Llewellyn said the issue will have to be decided between Britain and the EU partners during phase two of the Brexit talks.
“So, where do you see it going?” he was then asked.
“I hope it will fetch up in an agreement that allows trade, including in agricultural produce, to continue in as obstacle and friction-free way as possible,” Llewellyn said.
“But precisely how that will be turned into reality remains to be seen.”
The Calais meeting also included a sharp question on what would happen if the people of Wallonia in Belgium decide to reject the final United Kingdom/EU settlement in the way they initially objected to the EU’s free-trade deal with Canada. Although the EU/Canada deal was ultimately signed, the Wallonia protest came dangerously close to destroying seven years of careful trade negotiations.
Llewellyn said the UK withdrawal agreement would be subject only to approval votes in the British and European parliaments, not the 27 member states.
While agreements reached on any future UK/EU relationship will be subject to approval by all 27 member states it is not the UK government’s intention to persuade member states to sign up to terms they hadn’t already approved during the negotiating process.
The Calais meeting was one of a series of Brexit briefing sessions by Llewellyn to speak to both working and retired British ex-pats in France.
