8 December 2017

Ceemet welcomes recommendation to enter the next stage

With an agreement on citizens right, the border issue of Isle of Ireland and the settlement of the financial terms, it is time to focus on agreeing an early, time limited, transitional arrangement for business.

Business needs certainty, the certainty to plan business decisions and carve out their long-term strategies. The outcome of the Brexit referendum 2016 threw this certainty into jeopardy.

Manufacturers in Europe form part of complex, intertwined and global supply chains. The ability to import and export manufactured goods and related services seamlessly across borders is an important pillar of current business models. On top of that global supply chains drive global competitiveness of European manufacturing, innovation, quality and productivity.

With the global context in mind, Ceemet calls negotiators on both sides, as the next stage of the negotiations is about to start, to respect 5 key points:

  1. The need for a time limited transition period, reducing the risk of economic shocks;
  2. Maintaining free and frictionless trade, avoiding tariff and non-tariff barriers to the movement of goods and ensuring the integrity of the single market;
  3. Ensuring that people can move freely across borders to support complex supply chains and address the sectors skills gap;
  4. Industry requires a single regulatory environment, supported by mutual recognition and regulatory cooperation;
  5. Consultation of industry is essential in ensuring negotiations deliver a deal which works.

Ceemet’s Director General, Uwe Combüchen, states that “Brexit will cause only losers without swift action. Whatever deal will be made, there will be no business as usual. Ceemet therefore urges for a minimal disruption for business, employers and employees. In that context, we are happy to learn about EUCO President Tusk’s readiness to discuss a transition period.”

Europe’s manufacturers are reaching out their hand to contribute and to help identifying key choices, priorities and solutions when pursuing trade policies, programs and services that assist businesses to compete in the global economy.