The trade groups, including the U.K. Warehousing Association, Logistics UK and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, said the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of a supply chain that works properly.
“With transition occurring at the same time as a potential second COVID spike, it is critical we ensure the supply chain is protected,’’ they said.
EU and British negotiators are due to meet in London on Monday for a crucial week of talks — their eighth round in negotiations that have made little progress. The EU says a deal has to be struck before November to allow time for parliamentary approval and legal vetting before the transition period expires at year’s end.
But the talks are deadlocked over fishing rights and rules for state aid to businesses. The EU is insisting on a “level-playing field” for companies, so British firms can’t undercut the bloc’s environmental or workplace standards, or pump public money into U.K. industries.
Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said this week that he was “worried and disappointed” by the lack of progress.
“So far the U.K. has not, frankly speaking, engaged constructively,” Barnier told an event hosted by an Irish think tank. “The U.K. is still looking to keep the benefits of the EU and the single market without the obligations.”
Read More: Freight firms warn of Brexit disruption amid UK-EU deadlock | World