The British Chambers of Commerce is demanding more Brexit certainty from the government
British businesses have demanded the government give more Brexit certainty in a blueprint published today.
The British Chambers of Commerce has stated that EU member states will remain a key partner for UK firms, adding it is “imperative” that a new deal facilitates trade.
The BCC warned that negotiations should be extended if trade talks cannot be concluded at the same time as exit discussions, eliminating the risk of the UK leaving the EU before a new relationship is established.
As part of a call for an expanded trade drive, the BCC also raised concerns current trade missions are “too small and slow” and “focused on ministerial deal-signing, rather than supporting businesses on the ground”.
Read More: 13 groups have joined forces to fight the government's business rates plans
And the lobby group also backed calls to confirm the rights of EU nationals currently resident in the UK.
BCC director general Adam Marshall said: “The eventual Brexit deal is far from the only thing on the minds of the UK's business communities.
“An ambitious domestic agenda for business and the economy is also essential so that business can drive our post-Brexit success. Firms across the UK want a clear assurance that Brexit isn't going to be the only thing on the government’s economic agenda for the next few years.”
Read More: British exporters are confident ahead of Brexit
In researching the paper, the BCC brought together responses from almost 20,000 surveys and over 400 businesses at 16 focus groups.
Former business minister and Single Market campaigner Anna Soubry welcomed the findings.
“If it proves impossible to agree a good free trade deal with Europe at the end of the Article 50 process, it is essential that we arrange a transitional deal that will maintain our current terms of trade and prevent the economy from going over a cliff edge,” she said.
“This underlines why MPs should have a meaningful vote on the final deal once negotiations have been completed. We cannot be allowed to crash out with no deal at all without parliamentary approval.”