Quote from Pauline Bastidon, FTA
“News that the Prime Minister has promised to prioritise supply chain integrity and continued frictionless trade with Europe after Brexit will come as welcome relief for FTA’s members, which includes those businesses charged with ensuring that the UK’s flow of goods to and from the EU are kept moving 24/7.
“The Prime Minister has rightly identified the crunch issues for exporters and importers in the Brexit debate. Leaving the EU without a Deal will impose massive new costs on manufacturers, retailers, logistics businesses and ultimately on consumers, because of new checks, taxes and costs at the Border. The threat of these costs is the source of the ‘Brexit uncertainty’ businesses are talking about and the Government and Opposition have correctly understood the need to deliver as close to frictionless trade as possible with our existing EU customers and suppliers after Brexit. A ‘No Deal’ Brexit is still the worst possible option for trade and logistics.
“As a sector, businesses directly involved in or highly dependent on logistics make up 22% of all UK companies, and employ nearly a third of the total workforce – many of whom will be reassured by the news that the government intends to minimise frictions and border checks by keeping up to date with EU rules for goods and agri-food products. There is still much to be agreed if logistics businesses are to ensure the continued smooth passage of goods and services to and from our European customers: this process starts with the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement and the adoption of an ambitious agenda for the future relationship with the EU, prioritizing frictionless trade. Parliament and Government now owe it to the logistics sector to turn this plan into reality and put an end to a damaging period of continuous uncertainty and the prospect of a disorderly Brexit, which would only generate costs and disruption for industry.”
