To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with businesses based in other European countries to minimise disruption to supply chains in the event of a disorderly Brexit.
Answered on
7 February 2019
In December 2018 the Government agreed to ramp up its no deal preparations. In line with this, the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) teams in Europe have increased their preparations for a no deal exit from the EU and have recommended that businesses enact their own no deal plans to ensure they are similarly prepared. DIT is also engaged with national and local governments, port authorities and other key stakeholders in Europe to minimise any disruption to supply chains.
More widely, the DIT teams in Europe have been reassuring European businesses that the UK remains open for business; that we remain an advocate for free trade and open markets; and that the UK will continue to be an important trading partner for European businesses after we leave the EU. DIT teams have also been working with Governments, businesses, trade associations and other business service providers to ensure that European businesses prepare for the UK’s exit from the European Union so they can continue to play an important part in UK supply chains.