Marco Forgione, director general of the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT), visited Brussels last week to open new offices and bolster the IOE&IT’s presence in the EU.
Forgione explained that this is a key moment for UK and EU relations, not only with respect to trading relationships between them, but also for how the two could work together on wider geopolitical and trade issues.
“We’ve opened our new Brussels hub in response to the current circumstances and challenges facing traders, as well as to help us support the EU with its Single Trade Window and Global Gateway initiatives. While we were there, we had several meetings with some of the leading MEPs in Brussels and the UK ambassador to Belgium.
“From those conversations it is abundantly clear that the EU and the UK have to collaborate.
“If we are going to tackle the systemic challenges our supply chains face, or the way in which digital trade is going to be transformed in the future, the UK and EU need to work together. These big issues will only be tackled by us working collaboratively.”
Brussels office
“That's why the IOE&IT has set up an office for its new entity in Brussels, to ensure our knowledge and expertise are shared and our members are represented at the highest levels, as key decisions are made in the coming weeks and months.”
On the more immediate question of the post-Brexit UK-EU trade relationship, Forgione also had a positive take on how things were developing after a chance meeting with Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission vice president, on the train:
“During the trip I was fortunate to bump into the EU’s Brexit negotiator with the UK
“It was clear from the conversation that the relationship between the EU and the UK is on much, much better footing now. There is a real appetite to overcome the current challenges facing UK-EU trade.
“We have our fingers crossed that further positive news will come from those conversations and negotiations.”
Pictured: IOE&IT director general Marco Forgione and IOE&IT chairman Terry Scuoler CBE with colleagues from hub.brussels in the Brussels office.
