Britain’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) is pressing the new government to focus on future trading arrangements between the UK and European Union (EU), as the country prepares to leave the body on 31 January.

The Conservative Party won the British general election last week (13 December) and now has a sufficient majority to ensure its Withdrawal Agreement Bill passes through the House of Commons.

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“What logistics and supply chain managers need above all is clarity over the Brexit’s end game,” said FTA head of Global and European Policy, Pauline Bastidon. “While the short-term priority is to ensure the UK leaves with a ratified withdrawal agreement, we need answers to the big questions about our future trading arrangements with Europe.

“Most of the crucial topics related to trade and transport have yet to be negotiated with the EU, in what will be a very short amount of time. Entering these negotiations with a clear picture of what logistics needs will be critical to its success.

“Minimising frictions, red tape and costs should be at the heart of the negotiations if UK PLC is to continue trading effectively.”

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According to the FTA, the three priorities still concerning businesses across the sector, which is responsible for keeping Britain’s industry and consumers stocked with the products they need are: 

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  • Final confirmation of the arrangements for imports and exports between the UK and Europe need to be agreed – business needs to know what the processes required will be and have time to learn and implement them
  •  Agreement on the situation on the Northern Ireland border, including the potential for checks and where and how these are to be made    
  • The ongoing situation regarding the employment of EU nationals within a sector that relies on them for vital labour

“Our members are agile and know how to adapt to changing circumstances and new risks and opportunities, but to do so, they will need sufficient advanced notice of the changes that are to come,” added Bastidon.

“Ensuring they are involved every step of the way, from the definition of the negotiating mandate to implementation of new rules is the best way of ensuring the new trade and transport arrangements will work in practice and allow logistics to Keep Britain Trading. As the voice of logistics, we stand ready to do just this.”