Appeal made for ‘business as usual’ during uncertainty over Brexit

NEARLY a month has now passed since voters across the UK made the decision to leave the European Union.

What has become clear is that the process of transition will be a long, drawn-out and protracted affair, one from which the UK Government needs to secure the best possible outcome for businesses trading in the EU, and across the rest of the world.

We also now know politics are getting mixed up with what needs to happen. Our politicians must remember they are here to serve us. As an apolitical organisation, we’ve observed the political fallout, but we are focused on identifying the key business issues that members will want to see addressed in the negotiations. We will be monitoring businessspecific matters in a changing environment to enable our members to maximise the opportunities Brexit will offer.

In uncertain times, we can help businesses understand a changing trading environment because we usually know the (latest) answer.

We recognise that the decision to leave the EU is of huge importance, but it must not be allowed to sideline other priorities for business and the economy.

There needs to be a business-asusual approach on the big ticket deals that fuel our domestic economy, and further measures to stimulate the exploration and drilling activities that are key for the oil and gas sector in the North-East.

With our colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce, we have sought urgent reassurances from Ministers that they will work quickly to secure an ordered exit from the EU.

Chambers of Commerce have global reach, are well connected and have been helping businesses to export for over 100 years.

In the North-East, our members are trading with more than 100 countries every month, the majority outside Europe, so our future prosperity will depend on securing the best possible trade deals across the globe.

Indeed in the previous year, our team processed over 15,000 export documents that enabled about half a billion pounds of goods and services from this region reach their destination market. Both the British and Scottish Chambers of Commerce have also called for a new, broad-based Business Taskforce on Europe, to ensure that business issues form a key part of both domestic policy and EU exit negotiations.

So, in short, our approach to this significant change is already beginning to take shape:

The political fallout – we will monitor this but leave it to the politicians

Key issues for business related to the EU – we will be making representations on what “good” looks like

Business as usual – we need government to make decisions and progress on key infrastructure and investment projects to progress and pump-prime our current economic confidence, conditions and performance

Opportunities – these will exist, and we are beginning to consider how we exploit these.

Over the coming months, our team will keep members updated on the latest negotiations and how they can help influence how the UK operating environment supports business in the immediate future, and post-Brexit. Liam Smyth is membership director of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.