techUK responds to new draft Brexit agreement

19 Mar 2018 02:39 PM

Deputy CEO, Antony Walker, says agreement marks a welcome step forward, but huge amount more work to do to minimise disruptive impact of Brexit.

Commenting on the new draft Brexit agreement, techUK Deputy CEO Antony Walker said:

“This is a welcome step to give businesses the certainty they need. However, both sides should not be complacent having formalised a transition period and must now ensure we have not simply kicked the can down the road leaving a brexit cliff edge on New Year’s Day 2021.

“Talent is a key driver of a successful UK tech sector and EU citizens are at the heart of that. We therefore strongly support the ability for EU citizens to continue to come to the UK to take up jobs in the tech industry and drive innovation and growth here in the UK.

“The tech sector will however be concerned that there remains no formal agreement around the ongoing ability to deliver the free flow of data during the transition period. It needs to be clear that the UK is not a ‘third country’ when it comes to free flow of data during the transition. Delivering a close ongoing relationship that allows data to flow freely, and giving the Information Commission a role in shaping future changes to data protection rules, must be a top priority between now and the final agreement in October.

“The joint agreement today is a positive step, but there is a huge amount of work to do to minimise the disruptive impact of Brexit and to give tech companies the confidence to keep investing in the UK."

Draft Withdrawal Agreement - 19 March 2018