At a meeting of CIA Council held in Leeds on 15 June, members reconfirmed their commitment to the industry’s Brexit priorities:
• Tariff-free access to the single market and the prevention of non-tariff barriers to trade
• Regulatory continuity and consistency
• Access to appropriately skilled people
Council also agreed that the current political situation presents an opportunity to reposition the UK’s approach to Brexit, encouraging greater predictability for business and employment during the inevitable transition period before leaving the EU. More specifically, we believe that staying in the single market for that appropriate transition period would help support trade, investment, jobs and overall economic growth in the critical time taking us to exit from the EU and our future new trading relationship.
We look forward to working with Government and others to deliver the best possible outcome for the country.”
Ends
For further information please contact Simon, [email protected] or 07951 389197
· The CIA is the Chemical Industries Association. The Association has member companies located across the UK. Our members are chemical and pharmaceutical businesses. Our industry is one of the UK’s top manufacturing exporters.
· The chemical and pharmaceutical industry adds £14.4 billion of value to the UK economy every year from total annual turnover of over £40 billion. This represents around 10% of the value added by the whole of UK manufacturing.
· In addition to gross value added, the sector also contributes to the UK economy in its position at the head of many supply chains within manufacturing and its employment of a well remunerated, high-skilled workforce. Chemical manufacturing adds £9 billion in gross value added annually and pharmaceutical manufacturing £5 billion.
· UK chemical and pharmaceutical companies invest around £4 billion in capital and R&D.
· The UK is a leading global chemical and pharmaceutical producer. The UK is the 11th largest chemical and pharmaceutical producer in the world and the 4th largest producer in the European Union.
· The wider chemical and pharmaceutical sector (manufacturing plus distribution) is the largest exporter of manufactured goods with annual exports of close to £50 billion. The export of motor vehicle, trailers and semi-trailers is the sector with next highest exports of £35 billion.
· 63% of companies in the sector export what they make to the world, the highest proportion of any goods manufacturing sector in the UK economy.
· We employ or are responsible for around half a million jobs throughout the UK