A new UK-EU relationship
Priorities for the food and drink manufacturing industry
This manifesto sets out our industry's priorities
for a new relationship between the UK and
the EU in response to the vote to leave in the
referendum on 23 June 2016. A poll of our
members in March 2016 showed that more
than 70% favoured Britain remaining in the
EU. With the decision to leave, Government
must now set out a clear agenda for the
development of a new relationship with the EU
and ensure the Civil Service is appropriately
resourced to deal in the short-term with
the renegotiation and in the long-term with
legislative impacts of a shifted burden of
regulation.
Government has recognised the strategic
importance of our industry, including food as
part of the UK's Critical National Infrastructure,
as well its vital economic contribution as the
UK's largest manufacturing sector. Now more
than ever, we need Government's support
and we believe that it should be treated as a
priority sector, as it has been in Scotland for
years. Government and industry must now work
together to develop a new vision to support the
success of UK food and drink that focuses on
four key priorities:
- Our workforce
- International trade
- Regulatory stability
- Domestic support
FDF will work with the new Government and
others to deploy our policy expertise and
political intelligence to ensure the best possible
trading and regulatory environment is put in
place to support growth and jobs in the UK's
food and drink industry. We will work with
our members and the wider industry as we
continue to develop the vision set out in this
document, as well as with Government as they
begin to map out a new relationship between
the UK and the EU.
Download full manifesto: A new UK-EU relationship
Index
Continued access to a skilled workforce
Continued tariff-free market access
An appropriate regulatory framework
A business environment that is focussed