Speaking at our Liverpool Welcomes Europe event in association with Liverpool City Council, a panel of six local business leaders all expressed their wish for fewer trade barriers and a closer relationship with the EU.

Led by our head of international trade, Elena Enciso, the event welcomed delegates from across Europe including Spain, Norway, The Netherlands, Lithuania, Moldova and Ireland, alongside a host of local business leaders, at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool.

Our chief executive Paul Cherpeau hosted a panel discussion featuring Lynn Pitt (DT&G), Yolla McCoy (Feedwater Treatment Systems), Peter Bradshawe (Kays Medical), Rory Stewart (Algeos), Nick Howe (Uniform) and Chris Dwerryhouse (Wild Thang)

Each panel member discussed their respective operations and highlighted the importance of trading with EU markets in order to deliver their growth objectives. Of those who transport physical goods and equipment across borders, all described a loss of customer trade and / or cost rises due to increased bureaucracy since 2016, when the Brexit vote was first delivered. Many have also encountered difficulties in their supply chain as a result of unsynchronised documentation and certification requirements.

Others highlighted the challenges of recruiting talent globally post-Brexit, saying that as global leaders in their field, they need to attract the world’s next talent, but relocating to the UK had become much harder, even for skilled labour.

Each was able to tell their own tales of resilience and flexibility – actively finding creative ways to ‘cope’, such as bearing the burden of clients’ shipping costs, or transforming obstacles into opportunities by opening satellite offices in EU locations.

When asked how they would improve the UK’s trading relationship with the EU, there was universal support for greater alignment and closer ties. The majority of panellists said they would vote to rejoin the single market, while others called for greater freedom of movement and unified acceptance of common standards.

The recent study examined data that the Bank of England uses to decide interest rates and used that to analyse lost growth by trying to reconstruct how the UK would have grown if it had not voted to leave the EU. It found that around half of the economic damage came from the shock and uncertainty of the post-referendum period, while the remainder was from rising trade barriers after the UK left the customs union and single market in 2021.

Some economists argue it is difficult to precisely model how much the UK would have grown without Brexit, and that such studies overstate the impacts of Brexit, especially during a period of multiple global crises.

Elena Enciso, head of international trade at Liverpool Chamber, said:

“It is clear that this latest study is by no means perfect, but it does reflect the mood and lived experiences of so many businesses on the ground here in the Liverpool City Region.

“There have been political indications that a closer relationship with the EU may be achievable, and the next UK-EU summit on July 22 in Brussels may shed more light on this. For now, businesses will continue to be as nimble as they can to work around the various barriers and challenges that Brexit has clearly placed in front of them.”

The purpose of the Liverpool Welcomes Europe event was clear: to position Liverpool as a leading UK city actively engaging with EU markets, showcasing a dynamic community of outward-looking businesses that are committed to trading internationally and finding practical ways to sustain and grow their relationships with Europe.

Liverpool stands as a confident, resilient and globally connected city-ready to strengthen its partnership with Europe and unlock future growth opportunities.