If there is one news story that most people have followed closely since 2016, it is the Brexit negotiations ahead of the targeted exit date set for March 29th 2019. No matter what sector you work in the UK – from chemical analysis to the retail high street – then it is important to prepare for the outcome of a hard Brexit.
The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) said that the British government has published guidelines for a no-deal Brexit. If a final deal is not achieved between the UK and the EU, then there could be imminent consequences for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Utz Tillmann, the chief executive of VCI, believes that it is a possibility due to legislation on chemicals and products being developed in the EU over the past 15 years.
Mr Tillmann commented: “Without a regulated agreement or at least common transitional arrangements for the import and export of chemical products, chaos threatens to interchange goods the EU and the UK – to a complete standstill. Unilateral technical advice to those affected by the British government does not solve this problem.”
The European Council will be evaluating how far the Brexit negotiations have moved forward by mid-October, with Mr Tillmann believing that the partners should try to organise a solution-oriented approach ahead of the forthcoming crunch period.
You will no doubt want to be prepared for what the possibility of a no-deal outcome could hold. If it does come about, however, the VCI chief executive believes that politicians should be considering measures to support the industry going forward.
