Engineering profession unites to provide advice to government for EU negotiations

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The Institution is one of 38 engineering organisations working together to help support the government in the forthcoming EU negotiations.

The result of the EU referendum will have a material effect on UK engineering which accounts for some 27% of UK GDP and over half of our exports. It is critical to the future of the UK that the government’s plan is informed by a clear understanding of the potential solutions, opportunities and risks from the perspective of UK engineering.

In this context, it will be important to ensure that the UK maintains its position as a centre of world class engineering research, remains embedded in setting globally recognised codes and standards, has access to the skills that industry needs and retains competitiveness in export markets.

The 38 organisations representing the engineering profession, including the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, believe that it is essential that the engineering profession acts together in the national interest by supporting the government in the forthcoming negotiations to secure the best possible outcome for the UK. At a meeting on 29 June, the organisations agreed that they must cooperate to provide evidence-based advice to government and ensure that the needs of all sectors that have a dependence on engineering are represented and understood. They have asked the Royal Academy of Engineering, with its natural position as a convener of UK engineering, and close links with government, to lead this work.

A project has been established to consult widely across engineering and beyond, gather evidence, analyse the risks and opportunities and produce advice to underpin a strong negotiating position and a positive result for the UK. We are also working closely with our sister national academies to explore how we can best support government in the task ahead.

As the profession prepares its advice to government, we have sent a letter outlining our offer of support the Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, whose team at the European Union Unit is leading the transition planning. We have offered our support for the duration of the planning stage as well as to those undertaking the future negotiations.

Colin Brown, Director of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The effect of unravelling 40 years of membership of the European Union will have many consequences. There are nearly five million people in the United Kingdom working in engineering roles.

“We very much welcome the chance to work with our engineering partners to give evidence based advice to help our EU negotiators gain the best possible outcomes.”

Philip Greenish CBE, Chief Executive of the Academy, says: “Never in my lifetime has there been an issue that so emphatically requires strategic collaboration across the engineering profession. We are rising to this challenge and pooling our resources to provide government with the best advice and access to our networks to inform its planning and leadership role. We are building a new, proactive framework for making engineering advice available to government on these critical matters for now and for the duration of the change process.”

Webinar

Have your say on securing the best outcome for the UK and engineering from the EU negotiations.

Members of the Institution are invited to join a webinar at noon on Monday 8 August to help shape the Institution's approach and to have their say on the advice being prepared for government. There will be a brief presentation introducing the project, followed by an hour’s forum during which you can share your points of view.

Subject-specific workshops in August will then provide further opportunities to input on particular areas of opportunity and risk. In the first instance, these will focus on higher education, energy and the environment, and industrial strategy.