EU and international briefing

After weeks of anticipation, the country will now go to the polls on the 12 December after parliament voted for a general election. Opposition parties agreed to support the Prime Minister’s proposal to trigger an election following confirmation that the EU had granted the UK an extension of Article 50 until 31 January.

For business, the election provides an opportunity to break the gridlock of the last three years, with the CBI urging politicians on all sides to present their visions for the UK’s future. On Brexit, the CBI are clear that passing a good deal with the EU is the first step, before the real heavy lifting can begin of building the future UK-EU relationship. Critically, this needs to be a deal that builds a future relationship with our biggest trading partner based on frictionless trade, regulatory alignment and the UK’s all-important services sector.

Meanwhile the UK’s international trade agenda is likely to feature in the election debate, with the implications of a potential U.S.-UK Trade deal emerging as a key dividing line between the two main parties. With trade a potential election hot-topic, CBI Director-General, Carolyn Fairbairn used a joint Department for International Trade/CBI round table on UK-Japan trade with Secretary of State Liz Truss to set out the need for any future global trade deals to be compatible with a close trading relationship with the EU.

Dates for your diary

Annual Conference 2019 - 18 November

Experience the UK's highest profile business conference in London on 18 November. Share ideas with over 1500 senior leaders from business, politics and media.

CBI Conference Series: International Trade - 10 December

Join us in London for the latest insights on how new trends in international trade could affect your business.

Recent engagement

• CBI Director-General, Carolyn Fairbairn, met Michael Gove MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss no deal preparations and the government’s Brexit agreement with the EU. Carolyn highlighted concern from business about the government’s proposed shift away from regulatory alignment
• Carolyn also met with Liz Truss MP, Secretary of State for International Trade to make the case for economic evidence being the guiding principle for all future trade deals
• Carolyn and CBI’s Chief Economist, Rain Newton-Smith, met with Sajid Javid MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss spending priorities, as well as with Rishi Sunak MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury to discuss the CBI’s budget submission
• CBI Scotland Director Tracy Black, briefed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the CBI's response to US retaliatory tariffs in the Airbus dispute on 31 October
• Finally, this week the CBI hosted a member-only roundtable with Chuka Umunna MP to discuss the ongoing development of the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto ahead of the prospective snap election. The CBI will be looking to hold similar business events with the other political parties in the coming weeks.