We are now in the middle of a media firestorm – and political fall-out – following the result of last week’s referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.
All CEA member companies will be reflecting on what this means for their business and the wider implications for the UK construction equipment market and manufacturing sector. We know that the majority of our members were supportive of remaining in the EU but the CEA is now committed to helping to signpost the way forward and to represent the best interests of our sector as the new “post-EU” world emerges.
We will be joining with other business lobby groups to engage with government to stress the importance of an orderly transition. It will be a monumental task to unpick generations of EU laws embedded in the UK legal system – and to broker a sustainable deal to allow continued access to the Single Market. This is likely to mean great market uncertainty for some time but we will play our part to help secure the best possible outcome.
The CEA’s immediate response has been to assure the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE) that we will continue to be an active member, as lobbying for business-friendly and coherent regulation for our sector from Brussels is a priority now and in the future. At home, we have also been in contact with the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) to ensure that our agenda of co-operation is not blown off course by the present circumstances.
More detail of the implications for our industry will emerge in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, I am recommending to the CEA Management Council that we put into place a Co-ordinating Group to identify the key challenges for our members and act as a conduit for information and action. If you would like to be part of this Group, or have immediate questions on the aftermath of the Brexit decision, please contact Rob Oliver directly at cea@admin.co.uk or via the CEA office.
Rob Oliver, Chief Executive, CEA (Construction Equipment Association)
