Carolyn Fairbairn, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said economics should supersede politics in the negotiations, with the aim of getting the “ambitious” Brexit deal that is so important to British companies, jobs and the economy.In a speech at Cambridge University, Ms Fairbairn said that, instead of arguing over a one-off departure bill with the EU, ministers should focus on the estimated 600 billion euro value of UK–EU trade in supply chains.“With a good agreement, European businesses can win together,” she said. “The business community, in the UK and the EU, is united in wanting an agreement with as few barriers as possible. Yet without an agreement, we’d lose together.”

New trading relationship

Ms Fairbairn said that when European decision-makers had discussions with firms in their own countries, many expressed a desire to see progress on a new trading relationship with the UK.“Far from being about doing the UK a favour, it is based on solid economic reasoning for both sides,” she said. “Take a look at the numbers and you see that our long-term trading relationship is the real prize – dwarfing any potential divorce settlement.“A one-off EU divorce bill of, some suggest, tens of billions of euros, compared to EU–UK trade worth well over 600 billion euros every year.“What is in both sides’ long-term mutual interest must not be clouded. It’s important that policy-makers in the UK and Europe listen to these messages from the factory floors, labs and studios of firms across Europe.“That they fully understand the realities of inter-connected, 21st-century supply chains that have driven prosperity for so long. And that we move quickly from deconstructing our old relationship to building an ambitious, comprehensive new relationship.”

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Economics rather than politics

She said that, when the leaders of the remaining 27 EU nations meet at the weekend, it was important for them to remember how much both sides have benefited from current trading arrangements.“In these discussions, it’s vital that the economics cuts through the politics. So our message to European firms and policy makers is ‘keep on talking, keep on listening’. We need to make sure politicians in all EU countries understand just how much we have all benefited,” Ms Fairbairn said.“Across the continent, businesses are the wealth creators. They’re generating jobs, supporting families and changing lives. And many are now looking at how Brexit will affect the way they work.”

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