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Despite the general negative and very public noise around the draft Withdrawal Agreement, a number of clients in the Manufacturing sector are relatively positive. In the main, this is due to there being a draft agreement in place which gives more certainty and enables them to plan ahead. Based on conversations with clients, the key points within the draft Agreement which give them confidence include:
It allows for a transition period - this will hopefully give the government time to finalise our trading agreements with the EU
The government is seeking to ensure tariffs will not be placed on imported goods and that delivery logistics – an integral part of the integrated supply chain – will be protected
It allows for the free movement of UK and EU workers during the implementation period
Clients were keen that mutually recognised regulations and standards were maintained, thus allowing the continued production of easily traded products. With this also included, the UK will continue to comply with EU law, and manufacturers will only face one set of legal changes at the end of this period.
Following publication of the Agreement, an increasing number of clients are seeking to engage Interim Change & Transformation Directors. These Interim Professionals will help drive change, ensuring the business continues to operate efficiently whilst exploiting post-Brexit opportunities.
As we approach March 29<sup>th</sup> 2019, we are increasingly supporting clients with their needs across high impact areas such as Supply Chain & Procurement, Technology, and Organisational Design. If you would like to discuss this topic in greater detail or find out more about how we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact us for an initial and confidential conversation. For more details contact Nick Behan on +44 (0) 0207 484 0106 or at nick.behan@normanbroadbentinterim.com