The Government published its White Paper The Future Relationship Between The United Kingdom And The European Union, which lays out its proposals for Brexit, earlier today.
The White Paper lays out five main areas of focus for negotiations with the EU:
- The economy – “preserving frictionless trade at the border for goods and making sure that the UK is best placed to capitalise on the industries of the future in line with the modern Industrial Strategy, striking new trade deals with old friends and new allies”;
- Communities – “Ending free movement, taking the UK out of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy, and supporting regeneration through the Shared Prosperity Fund, while preserving vital cooperation to tackle crime and terrorism”;
- The Union – “avoiding the need for any hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, preserving the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK, and meeting the needs of the wider UK family, including the Crown Dependencies and the Overseas Territories;
- Strengthening democracy – “returning accountability to the elected representatives who make the UK’s laws in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast”‘;
- Shared values – “support the UK’s stepping out into the world, asserting a fully independent foreign policy and working alongside the EU to promote and protect shared European values.”
Importantly, the White Paper also says that post-Brexit businesses should be able to “provide services and to move their talented people” after Brexit.
CECA is continuing to work with members and partners to get the best for the construction industry and infrastructure sector under the UK’s future relationship with the European Union. As part of this, we have formed a Brexit Working Group to consider options for managing future EU migrants who wish to work in our industry, and provide guidance to those who wish to remain in the UK.
CECA is also planning a cross-industry survey to develop a more detailed picture of the occupations currently undertaken by EU migrant workers in the UK’s infrastructure sector. If you are a CECA member and would like to input your views, or contribute to this work, please get in touch.