Responding to UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s triggering of Article 50, FSB Northern Ireland Policy Chair, Wilfred Mitchell OBE, said: “On the day that Article 50 is triggered small businesses are calling for clarity on how this will impact on them, especially amid ongoing local political uncertainty.
“FSB members in Northern Ireland that export and import now need confidence that they will still be able to do business on the same terms, especially in relation to cross border trade with the Republic of Ireland and the daily movement of people and products.
“Those that employ non-UK EU citizens in their workforce will want early assurance they will remain, and that hiring new staff will not mean a new system with extra costs and burdens.
“In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, the FSB will continue to be a constructive partner with the UK Government on Brexit, especially on issues such as access to markets, to skills and labour, and funding – as well as creating the right regulatory environment after we leave the EU.
“The Government must push for a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU based on ease and cost, and then support small firms to take advantage of new trade agreements with priority markets around the world.
“Small business exporters tell us that the EU single market is still their top market of choice, but firms are also keen to focus on the US, China, Australia and Canada. One third of exporting small businesses have told us they would be genuinely deterred from trading with the EU if a tariff of between two to four per cent was imposed on trade between the UK and EU.
“Access to the right skills at the right time is crucial for the success of a small business. A fifth of FSB members with staff employ non-UK EU citizens, workers that are vital to the UK economy. The right to remain for these non-UK EU citizens must be guaranteed at the earliest opportunity to provide reassurance to smaller firms and their workforces.
“There is now a two year window of opportunity to influence EU law. FSB will focus efforts in the Commission and Parliament to secure pro-business reforms to the single market, as arrangements agreed between now and March 2019 will become UK law.”
