With just a year to go for UK’s departure from the European Union, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is urging the UK government to up the pace on the negotiation of trading arrangements, or risk damaging integrated supply chains. Pauline Bastidon, Head of European Policy at FTA stated it is unrealistic to expect logistics companies and supply chain managers to wait until the eleventh hour to learn what their new operational arrangements will be and change everything at the last minute.
The FTA made its call ahead of this week’s publication of the government’s Brexit White Paper. A meeting of the government last week has seen high profile ministers quit their positions, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, because they disagree with the proposals.
Businesses urgently need a confirmed action plan for how a smooth and efficient Brexit is to be achieved, without the constant political posturing and power grabbing which has dominated the past few days, says James Hookham, Deputy Chief Executive of FTA.
The FTA has produced an eight point roadmap, designed to ensure that the UK’s departure from the EU does not compromise or curtail trade across the Channel.
