Scotland’s businesses say no Brexit deal is not an option 

A prominent new survey conducted across the UK by the British Chambers of Commerce has highlighted demands from businesses, in both Scotland and elsewhere in the UK, for a need for stability in terms of the UK’s trading relationship with the EU, regardless of the state of negotiations at the time of the UK’s exit from the EU in March 2019.

Nearly 70 per cent of Scottish and UK respondents to the BCC survey said they believed that there should be a transition period of at least three years following the UK’s exit from the EU on 29 March 2019.

While 61 per cent of Scottish respondents felt that the UK should remain in both the single market and the Customs Union, compared to 53 per cent of respondents across the UK.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: “Scottish businesses value our trading links with the European Union, as they do with our other major trading partners, and this survey shows that businesses are serious about maintaining a relationship with Europe that continues to enable them to trade as easily as possible, with no financial tariffs and an absolute minimum of regulatory barriers. The EU may have fallen behind the rest of the world in terms of the value of Scotland’s exports but it remains a vital export destination, particularly as Scotland seeks to grow the number of businesses trading internationally.

“This survey also clearly shows that Scottish businesses do not want to be facing a cliff edge in two years’ time when the UK will leave the EU under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The vast majority of business people who responded to this survey felt that a transitional period of at least three years would be appropriate in order to allow trade to continue as normal until a deal is struck to govern our future trading relationship with the EU.

“If Scotland and the UK’s economic needs are to be satisfied, then business must be listened to during these crucial negotiations.”