The engineering equipment manufacturers’ taskforce – EURIS – believes that a 5 year transition period for the full implementation of Brexit is necessary to minimise economic disruption to UK manufacturing companies as they adjust to life outside the EU. This extended period beyond March 2019, would allow industry to develop new relationships and solutions with respect to the comprehensive and complex nature of European legislation and related standards. It is understood that such a transition period would need to be agreed as part of the negotiations, but EURIS encourages all parties to work towards this end.

Without such a transition period, UK Government risks a situation where failure to reach an agreement would result in barriers to trade for UK companies that import from or export to the EU.

EURIS manufacturers maintain that the structure of the single market and customs union should remain intact, allowing businesses to operate in the current efficient and seamless manner.  In addition, the status of EU nationals employed in the UK should be guaranteed in order to provide certainty and continuity of skilled labour.