Quote:
The UK’s car industry is doomed to a sharp decline if the country loses access to the EU single market, the head of Germany’s auto industry lobbying group has warned, with automakers likely to move production to low-cost EU countries in eastern Europe.
The comments by Matthias Wissmann mark the first time a senior figure in the German car industry has publicly outlined the consequences from a change to Britain’s trading arrangements with the EU for a sector that has powered the UK’s industrial renaissance in recent years.
Some British ministers have speculated about the possibility of seeking sectoral deals to keep trade flowing, including a special regime for key traded goods such as cars. But Angela Merkel, German chancellor, last week warned against such “comfortable” deals and urged companies engaged in sectoral talks on market access to avoid compromising on EU principles — particularly freedom of movement. Mr Wissmann backed that position. “The UK is an important market for us but the EU market is much more important,” he said. “If the EU were to fall apart, that would be a lot worse for our industry.”
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https://www.ft.com/content/e801b67a-...8-d3778b55a923
---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:12 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kursk
he feels the Prime Minister can't tell him what to do.
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I think you may have missed the events of 6 May 1997. Here's a reminder!
"The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, has given the Bank of England independence from political control. His surprise announcement - coming only four days after Labour's landslide election win - is being described as the most radical shake-up in the bank's 300-year history."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...00/3806313.stm