Brexit news: Germany TERRIFIED of no-deal with 750,000 jobs at risk

Erik Schweitzer

Eric Schweitzer, President of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Image: GETTY)

The various concerns were outlined in a range of German media reports published the day before tomorrow’s crunch vote on Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, which she is widely predicted to lose. Eric Schweitzer, President of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), outlined his concerns in a statement issued on its website today. In it, he explained “a lot was at stake” for German companies, given Britain was Germany’s fifth-most important trading partner.

In Germany about 750,000 jobs depend on UK trade

Eric Schweitzer, President of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce

He added: “That means that in Germany about 750,000 jobs depend on UK trade.

“It is important that the EU has made provision for the no-deal, for example, on air links or road haulage licences.”

Radio station Deutschelandfunk featured an interview with Elmar Brok, the European People’s Party’s Group Brexit Representative, and a German national, who urged MPs to ratify Mrs May’s withdrawal agreement.

He said: “I would say that they should accept this agreement, because this agreement will allow them to have a two, possibly four year, transitional arrangement that would allow for Britain’s current single market membership. Then nothing dramatic would happen.

Elmar Brok

Elmar Brok has said a hard Brexit would have “grave consequences” (Image: GETTY)

“During this time they could negotiate a new treaty, a free-trade agreement that is very broad, and agree on other things that have to do with internal and external security, research, and so on, in order to minimise the damage done by Brexit. Such a transitional period will only exist if this contract is concluded.”

If the margin of Mrs May’s defeat was small, she could then return to Parliament and try and present revised proposals, Mr Brok said.

If not, he anticipated Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party would ask for a vote of no confidence, which he anticipated would probably be defeated.

Mr Brok added: “Then, in fact, we are in the situation that Theresa May has described as leading to a hard Brexit, with the grave, especially economic, consequences for both sides, but especially for Britain.

Theresa May

Theresa May, pictured during her visit to Stoke (Image: GETTY)

However, acknowledging the increasing complexities of the situation, he added: “There are many who do not want to come out of the European Union who are hoping for a new referendum, but this referendum can not be held until 29 March, the date of the actual exit and they have to leave.

“And if it takes longer, then there will be the European elections. Then there are difficulties in that British MEPs have to be re-elected, who will then decide on the future Commission President, the future Commission and then also the future of the European Union, without them still being a part of it afterwards. 

“Because it is questionable whether a referendum would have a positive result.”

Addressing the question of the backstop for Northern Ireland, he said: “Clarifications could be achieved here. 

Germany Britain

Britain is Germany’s 5th-most important trading partner (Image: GETTY)

“But you have to realise: this regulation is there as an insurance. If you have a fire insurance and the insurance provider himself has the right to decide whether it applies or not, then you can just leave it. For that reason, the House of Commons cannot make this decision alone.

“The hard border in Ireland, which is also the external border of the EU, would mean that there would be economic and human-family consequences, and that Northern Ireland might then go back into this conflict, the civil war-like conditions that existed there.”

He also stressed the difficulty of striking any kind of free trade deal prior to the withdrawal agreement being ratified by all parties.

He explained: “We have to have certain preconditions here that have to do with civil rights of Germans and all Europeans who live in Britain, who have relied on being able to continue to live there with all the rights they have today.

“They have built their lives on it. The questions that have to do with the financial obligations have to be settled and the like.”

Badische Zeitung, based in the south-western region of the country, reported “tension” among companies in the city of Baden.

Sausage manufacturer Florian Frey said he was “dreading” Britain leaving the EU, regardless of how it happens – while describing a no-deal Brexit as a “horror scenario”, explaining he would no longer be able to export fresh produce to the UK.

He added: “We need to think about using chilled goods or finding English butchers,” explaining this would result in longer delivery routes, and extra costs for cold storage.

Meanwhile the Munich Mercury reported German furniture manufacturers were fearful of a hard Brexit, which could hit exports hard, possibly by as much as 25 percent – although to some extent these losses would be made up by anticipated export growth in other foreign markets including China, the United States and Russia, said President of the Association of the German furniture industry, Axel Schramm.

(Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg) 

source: express.co.uk