Chemical sector cautious but relieved that progress has been made on Brexit

The Chemical Industry in the UK and in Europe welcomes the news that the negotiators have agreed on both a Brexit withdrawal agreement and future political declaration. Furthermore, we hope this can now be accepted by both Parliaments.

Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the UK Chemical Industries Association, said: “Given where we were last week, I welcome the accord now reached. We will continue our work with UK Government, political parties and all stakeholders to ensure the detail of the agreement and any future relationship supports the growth of our sector.

We will also continue to work closely with the wider European industry so that we maintain the existing close relationship within our sector, our customers and our suppliers throughout Europe and beyond. 

This deal – with its commitment to a free trade agreement avoiding tariffs and non-tariff barriers – represents an opportunity that we must now grab hold of, although we still seek reassurance that we can maintain a strong connection to the regulatory framework of our biggest and most important market.

The deal will not be perfect for everyone including ourselves. It is now for MPs and MEPs to decide what happens next and in doing so, I hope they will take on board the points we have been making for the past three years”.

Marco Mensink, Director General of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) said: “We are pleased to see the explicit reference to the exploring of “the possibility of cooperation of United Kingdom authorities with Union agencies such as the European Chemicals Agency”, which is something that we have been advocating for a long time as Cefic and CIA.

We are looking forward to an orderly Brexit process that provides for a transition period followed by an ambitious (trade) agreement.”