The risk of a no deal departure from the EU is heightened after today’s rejection of the government’s proposed Withdrawal Agreement by Parliament. FTA therefore continues to advise its members to keep preparing themselves for the disruptive impact of a no deal Brexit in less than two weeks’ time. This is no menial task: logistics and supply chain managers in the UK will face what is possibly their biggest challenge in a generation. However, FTA welcomes the temporary easements conceded by both sides. While logistics will do its best to meet the challenge, the costs and disruptions to supply chains generated by a no deal outcome – which go well beyond potential delays at the border – should not be underestimated, and neither should their negative impact on the competitiveness of UK PLC.
Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. A champion and challenger, FTA speaks to Government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.
