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Regulatory consistency – bite-sized insights from the CEA Manifesto

By  Louise Carney  ·  1 minute read

With the General Election just three days away (4 July), the CEA must continue to advocate for the industry’s interests with the UK Government.

The CEA Policy Group, established in Spring 2024, has prepared this Manifesto to outline our clear and transparent approach to addressing the challenges facing the construction equipment sector and the broader construction, engineering, manufacturing, and education sectors.

Manufacturing requires a consistent regulatory environment. Unnecessary changes or U-turns should be avoided. Long-term stability in major infrastructure projects is needed, alongside a streamlining of the planning process. Geopolitical events such as the war in Ukraine, tensions in Gaza and the Middle East, and the pandemic have financially impacted the global supply chain, calling for greater resilience.

Our asks

  • A formalised UK Industrial Strategy.
  • To maintain the forecast growth in the construction equipment sector, careful consideration must be given to all current major infrastructure projects in the UK.
  • Maintain UK/EU regulatory alignment wherever possible. Avoid unnecessary UK legislation that differs from Europe which could inadvertently make the UK an unattractive market for international OEMs.
  • Achieve a final settlement with the USA on the Steel and Aluminium tariffs, currently due for review in March 2025. The same with the Boeing/Airbus WTO dispute, scheduled a year later.
  • Stabilisation and simplification of the import and export process documentation which is currently leaving the UK at a competitive disadvantage to global competitors.
  • Increase supply chain resilience, supporting inward investment and reshoring or near shoring.
  • Increase full expensing allowance for short-term rented plant in construction. Simplifying the rules between plant rented with or without an operator will support housebuilding and infrastructure projects while generating revenue for the Exchequer.
  • Increase and enforce anti-dumping regulations and Country of Origin surveillance on non-compliant imported equipment and parts which are unfairly subsidised.