MYSTERY BUYER
WE NEED TO TALK A
S PARLIAMENT WENT INTO RECESS earlier this summer, I first felt relieved after all the chaos over Brexit negotiations. However, that relief soon turned to mounting concern. Let’s take a look back. On 1 January 2018 it was the 45th anniversary of the UK’s accession to membership of what was then the European Economic Community. We first applied to join in 1961, but two years later the French said “non”. We applied again, but the French blocked again in 1967. In 1969, what was then the EEC decided we could apply, and four years after that – on 1 January 1973 – the UK became part of what is now the European Union. So it took us 12 years to get in, and we’ve
been given two years to get out. As of Septem- ber, there’s just six months to go before our membership is rescinded. Right now, there are potentially dire consequences.
ABOUT BREXIT
It took us 12 years to get into Europe, we’ve got just two to get out and there’s still no news about the commercial impacts
WILL OUR
PLANNING AHEAD There has been a lack of communication, which makes our jobs difficult when it comes to planning future movements of our employ- ees. Come March next year, will our travellers need to apply for visas to go to Paris? Will UK-registered airlines have unfettered access to EU member states, or will we have to go back to the bad old days of individual air service agreements? If so, how long will those negotiations take? And what’s going to happen to Euro- star, if anything? For travel
TRAVELLERS NEED VISAS TO GO TO PARIS?
working in the EU – what hoops and hurdles will em- ployers have to clear, and at what cost? Meanwhile, the UK’s hospitality industry is heavily reliant on overseas labour, and much of that foreign workforce comes from EU member states. Will they be sent packing? Few of us understand the implications of having to abide by some (but not all) of the rulings of the Euro- pean Court of Justice, but we can all grasp the basics of a visa-free regime. What has the apparent deadlock over the UK/Irish border got to do with our relationships with Latvia, Lithuania or Luxembourg? The answer is absolutely nothing. Clearly the EU has its own agenda. No member state has trig- gered the Article 50 secession mechanism before, and 45,000 people – including 6,700 MEPs – rely, to some extent, on the EU “club” for continuing employment.
GUIDANCE NEEDED
Cynics argue it is in the EU commis- sioners’ interest to make Brexit as tough as possible to deter other nations from following suit, but that argument doesn’t hold water. Why would Germany, for example, sever links with the UK just to
keep the EU together? Equally, our government needs to get its act togeth-
professionals, this is becoming increasing- ly frustrating. What about UK nationals
42 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
er, bearing in mind the EU has the stronger hand; we will simply have to do what we’re told. “No deal” should not be an option for either side, as it will just make the situation even worse. Compromise requires consultation, and that needs communication. Of course, Michel Barnier, Dominic Raab, Theresa May and EU leaders do talk, but where is the communica- tion at a commercial level, whether you’re a company making cars or aero-engines, or managing the travel for those who design, engineer and sell the things? After March 2019, we’ll have a 21-month transition
period in which to implement any new rules. We need the new rules, preferably before the next recess.
buyingbusinesstravel.com
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