Representatives from the British Furniture Confederation (BFC) recently met with Civil Servants from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ensure the furniture industry’s needs are fully represented in Brexit negotiations.
The BFC was invited to meet with senior civil servants from the EU Exit & International Trade Directorate to discuss the industry-specific concerns that members have raised with the BFC, and to better understand how the UK and EU furniture industries interact.
BFC representatives raised a wide range of issues including the continued need for skilled immigration following Brexit, the principle of mutual recognition, and the UK’s role in the formulation of technical standardisation. A much broader discussion about the direction and needs of the industry was then held.
The senior civil servants were particularly interested in the industry’s EU workforce, the costs and timescales involved in adapting products for different markets, and the effect of incompatible flammability regulations on cross-border trade.
BFC representatives committed to continued dialogue and information sharing with the Government.
Jonathan Hindle, chairman of the BFC says: This was an extremely interesting conversation with both sides learning a lot from the other. I am enthused that the civil servants are keen to maintain active dialogue with the industry to ensure that these negotiations don’t take place in a vacuum. Since the meeting, the officials have followed up with further questions which the BFC will working to answer.’