The chemical industry, which has factories, laboratories and offices across the UK has today urged the Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission to, once and for all, finalise and sign a free trade agreement.

Commenting ahead of the meeting between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen, the Chemical Industries Association (CIA) has said it is time to get the signature pens out. Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Association, stressed that: “Chemical businesses in the UK alongside those in EU member states, have consistently set out the case for free trade and regulatory consistency. We do not seek such an outcome for the sake of it – UK firms need it to ensure that they can continue to export on a competitive basis to our biggest market, without the huge disruption and cost that tariffs, border delays and duplicate regulatory requirements would all bring through a failure to agree a deal. A ‘no deal’ outcome for a trade intensive industry that sends over 60% of its total exports to the EU 27 would clearly damage the prospects for that trade, and for investment and jobs across the country”.

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