---
title: "U.K. Steps Up Talks With Industry as Brexit Disruption Closes In"
description: "The U.K. government is intensifying talks with industry as it seeks to avert Brexit disruption at year-end, with companies facing upheaval even if Britain and the EU sign a trade deal."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Business Maverick"
author: "Bloomberg"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/bloomberg/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-11-12-u-k-steps-up-talks-with-industry-as-brexit-disruption-closes-in/"
published: "2020-11-12T05:39:44"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 286
---

# U.K. Steps Up Talks With Industry as Brexit Disruption Closes In

> The U.K. government is intensifying talks with industry as it seeks to avert Brexit disruption at year-end, with companies facing upheaval even if Britain and the EU sign a trade deal.

By Bloomberg · Published 12 November 2020, 07:39 SAST

## Content

Ministers will hold weekly meetings with the country’s five biggest business groups and particularly-affected sectors to discuss Brexit preparations, the Cabinet Office said in an e-mailed statement. The government has previously expressed concern that many firms have their “heads in the sand” and are ill-prepared for Brexit.

*Michael Gove on Nov. 10.*

“We recognize that this is a challenging time for everyone,” Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said in the statement. “We are determined to support businesses to be ready for 1 January 2021 and beyond.”

> U.K. PM Boris Johnson says he's serious about walking away from Brexit talks without a trade deal.
>
> Here are 4 reasons to believe him: [https://t.co/v1cH6pHwS7](https://t.co/v1cH6pHwS7)[pic.twitter.com/9DR7AkM1oZ](https://t.co/9DR7AkM1oZ)
>
> — Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) [September 8, 2020](https://twitter.com/Quicktake/status/1303368424521900034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

When Britain leaves the EU’s single market and customs union, and irrespective of whether there’s a free-trade agreement, firms will face a wave of new red tape and regulatory barriers on commerce with the bloc. The U.K. government has warned of 7,000 truck-long [queues](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-22/u-k-s-gove-warns-of-7-000-truck-long-queue-in-brexit-worst-case) around the port of Dover in a reasonable-worst-case scenario due to firms not being ready for new EU customs checks.

[Brexit Upheaval ‘Significant’ Even With Deal, Watchdog Says (1)](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-06/brexit-disruption-significant-even-with-a-deal-watchdog-says)

“Sectors know there will be disruption no matter what the outcome of ongoing talks,” said Josh Hardie, acting director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, one of the lobby groups that will join the meetings. “Helping firms prepare and mitigate wherever possible is vital.”

Negotiations over a trade agreement -- which would keep tariff-free trade between Britain and the EU, but wouldn’t remove the new red tape and obstacles -- are due to be [extended](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-11/brexit-talks-set-to-miss-latest-deadline-and-continue-next-week) beyond this weekend’s informal deadline and continue in Brussels next week, according to two people familiar with the matter.