EURIS welcomes Implementation Period sign-off on road to Brexit
Dr Howard Porter, EURIS chair, responded to developments in negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU, saying: “Reaching agreement on the terms of the UK’s Implementation Period with the EU is an important step forward. The agreement provides our members with the certainty they have been calling for on the terms of this period and helps minimise uncertainties around Brexit for UK industry as a whole”.
On trade, Dr Porter commented: “Negotiating new trading arrangements will be an exceptional challenge and EURIS welcomes the news that the UK will be free to negotiate, ratify and sign trade deals with new partners, while continuing to benefit from the EU’s existing agreements, during the Implementation Period. Trade is a key driver of growth and prosperity and it is crucial to both the future of the product supply sector, and the competitiveness of those sectors to which we supply, as our supply chain involves both imports and exports”.
He said: “EURIS is pleased that international agreements which arise from our European Union membership will continue to apply during the Implementation Period.”
However, he added that questions remain over the UK’s membership of Standards Committees after the Implementation Period comes to an end.
“EURIS believes it is vital that UK industry retains membership of European Standards Committees post Brexit, in order that we can continue to ‘CE’ mark our products and hence export them to continental Europe. We will be making this case to Government”.
Steve Brambley, EURIS vicechair, commented on the length of the Implementation Period, saying: “Given the reduced timescale of the Implementation Period, EURIS believes it is more important than ever that Government works with industry to create a post Brexit Industry and Government liaison body.
This body should, we suggest, have the specific remit of confirming and recommending for adoption aspects of future European legislation that impact on the industrial product supply sector.
This will enable industry to continue to place products on the market and remain competitive”.
