Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders warns against no deal dangers
Today Airbus Chief Executive Tom Enders has today warned that the company "could be forced to re-direct future investments in the event of a no-deal Brexit."
In a video message, published at https://www.airbus.com/company/worldwide-presence/uk.html, Enders said:
"It is a disgrace that more than two years after the result of the 2016 referendum, businesses are still unable to plan properly for the future. And we, along with many of our peers, have repeatedly called for clarity.
"Airbus has more than 14,000 employees here with a further roughly 110,000 working in jobs supported by our UK programmes, which generated roughly £6bn of turnover every year.
"The global market for aviation is growing at 5 per cent each year. But we are not dependent on the UK for our future. Airbus will survive and thrive whatever the outcome. The question is does the UK wish to be a part of that future success?
"If you are really sure that Brexit is best for Britain, come together and deliver a pragmatic withdrawal agreement that allows for an orderly Brexit."
Commenting on Radio 4's Today Programme this morning, ADS Chief Executive Paul Everitt said:
"Airbus is a huge part of the UK aerospace industry. The message Tom Enders is delivering has been repeated consistently by the overwhelming majority of businesses in our sectors and others up and down the country.
"The introduction of any kind of customs activity or delays at the border fundamentally undermines our competitiveness and adds cost. Added to that we all operate in a consistent regulatory environment. Significant changes or differences in that regulatory environment drive cost and disruption through our businesses.
"When you introduce a new product, there are a list of countries out there who are actively bidding for that work. Our issues and concerns are that cost implications in the short-term will drive the long-term conditions that will undermine our competitiveness.
"It's not a question that Tom and Airbus are going to pull up their plant next week, but the reality is that future investment in that plant depends on us being globally competitive."