EU weak, but leave campaigns lack an alternative: UK Chamber

UK Chamber ceo Guy Platten praised Prime Minister David Cameron’s efforts in securing a reform deal with the EU, emphasising that he “delivered a great deal from his renegotiations and is deserving of credit,” he also described the reform deal as “simply generic”.

“‘The European Union will pursue an active and ambitious trade policy’, ‘take concrete steps towards better regulation’ and ‘fully strengthen the internal market’. These are things that the EU should be doing anyway,” said Platten.

“As things stand there is no reason to believe the EU will become more competitive as a result of these renegotiations.”

Looking specifically at shipping Platten was critical of the way the EU adds to existing global regulations. “There is nothing in the reform package that addresses long standing concerns from the UK Chamber of Shipping that the EU has a tendency to gold-plate regulations agreed at a global level through the IMO.

“This adds cost and reduces the competitiveness of UK and European shipping companies.”

However, said Platten, whose trade body represents 170 UK shipowners and maritime companies employing 250,000 and contributing £10bn ($14bn) to the economy, “The Leave campaigns have not yet presented enough hard, factual analysis.”

“Their job is to set out, in clear terms, what the UK will look like outside the EU, particularly how it will trade with its closest neighbours, and they have not yet done nearly enough," he said.

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