Business groups respond to publication of Brexit White Paper

13 Jul 2018

Business groups, including the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and the Institute of Directors (IoD) have responded to the government’s recent publication of its Brexit White Paper.

The 104-page document is divided into four chapters, which focus on security, economic partnership, co-operation and institutional arrangements.

A commitment to build a ‘new relationship that works for both the UK and the EU’ has been outlined by the government within the White Paper, alongside proposals for future trade arrangements.

Responding to the publication of the Paper, the CBI stated that many of the government’s intentions in regard to Brexit are ‘reassuring’. Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General of the CBI, said: ‘The Brexit White Paper reflects much of the evidence that business has been highlighting since the Referendum.

‘Businesses on both sides have been asking for frictionless trade between the UK and the EU, and shared rules could go a long way towards delivering that. It is now the EU’s turn to put economics before ideology on these proposals.’

Meanwhile, Stephen Martin, Director General of the IoD, said that EU negotiators ‘now have specific details to build upon’, and urged them to ‘respond constructively’.

The BCC, however, gave a decidedly lukewarm response. Dr Adam Marshall, its Director General, commented: ‘Businesses still need clear and detailed answers on many of the practical, real-world questions they face. Many of these answers can only emerge through negotiations – so it’s time for the two sides to crack on and get to a deal.’