Brexit

How The Chemical Business Association Can Help

The “UK’s New Start” Government campaign urges us to ‘Check, Change, Go.’  But what do you need to know to ‘Check and Change’ so that your business can ‘Go’now that the UK-EU transition period has ended?

The Chemical Business Association has been actively supporting members through the Brexit process via:

• A series of workshops that have helped answer these questions, and we will be running further events in 2021. Click here for a list of all our 2021 events.
• One-to-one consultations. Our technical help desk has been answering an unprecedented number of inquires.
• Regular communication via Outlook, Update our member e-bulletins and CEO Briefings.

As a member of the CBA the support that they have given to us through their online training seminars and webinars during the pandemic have been invaluable. With the end of the transition period looming the information and support we have received through our membership has been first class. Clear, up to date and specific to our needs. The technical team respond quickly and thoroughly to our queries. Given the huge amount of changes facing our business with coping with new customs and chemicals regimes and regulations we would have been lost without the support we have received from the CBA Technical team. – Director of a CBA Member Company

The Chemical Business Association’s BREXIT Advocacy Summary

Our position is non-political, with the sole aim of protecting the interests of our member companies. We will continue our advocacy campaign for a future trading and regulatory framework that allows the UK chemical supply chain to continue to grow and prosper.

• We have given evidence on two occasions to the Environmental Audit Committee of the House of Commons with respect to UK REACH.
• We have taken a number of our members to talk to senior civil servants, to put over their concerns.
• CBA has proposed a solution that will make UK REACH workable by solving the crucial issue of access to testing data. It would also ensure that UK companies have continued frictionless access to the EU market post-Brexit as well as EU companies enjoying a similar level of access to the UK Market. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is considering CBA’s proposal.
• The Government transposed much of the EU legislation into UK law. CBA highlighted to them potential issues for the sector, for example REACH, Drug precursors and Excise duty.
• CBA actively lobbied DEFRA about UK REACH and when the first draft of the UK REACH Guidance document was issued, CBA sent in a significant number of revisions that have been adopted into the revised guidance.
• CBA represents our members in all relevant departments of government.
• CBA is actively involved in a number of fora discussing BREXIT, such as the REACH Cross-Sector Group, The Chemical Stakeholder Forum, BEIS REACH Liaison Group and the Department for International Trade to help understand how potential new legislation would be implemented.

To learn more about how CBA can help your company prepare for Brexit call us on 01270 258200 or email us on karen.harvey@chemical.org.uk