Making the new UK-EU relationship a success for transport
The UK has left the European Union, but we’ll continue to have a strong relationship with our European neighbours.
The framework for the new relationship for transport is determined by the recently agreed Trade and Cooperation Agreement, together with the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol.
If you provide goods or services to mainland Europe, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland, these agreements and EU rules, current and future, will affect you.
EU rules will also shape UK domestic policy and global standards for many years to come.
But those agreements will need to be fleshed out. For example, in the coming year we should seek to agree to the mutual recognition of the testing of industrial goods and to re-establish the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
The easing of the political heat post Brexit enables both sides to draw a line under the disagreements, so now is the time to be proactive, to rebuild and strengthen the relationship.
For everyone involved in transport there is now huge opportunity for positive engagement, to influence policy, and the implementation, strengthening and simplification of those agreements.
Indeed, we believe UK interests can continue to contribute to positive change in Europe, and help accelerate the shift to resilient, sustainable and smart mobility.
UKTiE’s primary objective is to facilitate engagement with the EU and the Member States to make the EU-UK relationship as mutually beneficial as possible for the transport sector. To achieve this, it makes sense to work together. Sharing insights on how that relationship could evolve in the future, exchanging best practice and securing high levels of engagement to gain the sort of influence that would be difficult, expensive or even impossible, alone.
For the past ten years, UK Transport in Europe has built up a strong reputation in Brussels as the go-to organisation by Whitehall and Brussels, and we will continue our work next year to be the UK PLC ‘springboard’ to influence the EU and the global transport agenda.
We have an ambitious programme planned for this year, to deliver that objective, designed by our members to make best use of shared resources.
Put simply, we are working hard to make the new UK-EU relationship a success for transport.
If you wish to stay informed about developments and help shape the future relationship you are invited to join UKTiE.
We can make a success of our new relationship if we move forward together.
Mark Watts
Chief Executive
UKTiE
