In securing agreement on the renegotiation package the Prime Minister has demonstrated the UK can influence and shape the priorities of the European Union. The date for the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU has now been set for Thursday 23rd June. It represents the next important step in changing the UK’s relationship with Brussels, not breaking it.

ADS represents organisations of all sizes, and support for the UK’s continued membership of the EU is uniform across our membership; collectively our companies turnover £56bn annually and directly employ 310,000 people. When surveyed, 86 per cent of ADS members stated that remaining part of the EU is better for business.

Our members benefit from easy access to trade and integrated pan-European supply chains, from valuable EU funding for research & development and from the UK Government influencing the rules and regulations that govern the EU single market.

The next few months will see an intense, challenging and noisy debate; however the view of the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors is clear: the UK’s membership of the EU benefits our members, and provides the best opportunity to secure long-term prosperity their employees and our country.