The Freight Transport Association has warned that the risk of a no-deal Brexit has increased following the rejection of the government’s withdrawal agreement for the third time on Friday.
MPs voted by 344 to 286 to reject the deal, which means that the UK is now due to leave the EU on 12th April without a deal. The alternative is to delay Brexit for an extended period which would involve holding elections to the European Parliament on 23rd May.
Pauline Bastidon, head of European policy, said: “FTA therefore continues to advise its members to keep preparing themselves for the disruptive impact of a no-deal Brexit in less than two weeks’ time.
“This is no menial task: logistics and supply chain managers in the UK will face what is possibly their biggest challenge in a generation. However, FTA welcomes the temporary easements conceded by both sides.
“While logistics will do its best to meet the challenge, the costs and disruptions to supply chains generated by a no deal outcome – which go well beyond potential delays at the border – should not be underestimated, and neither should their negative impact on the competitiveness of UK plc.”
