EU Result will cause "shock" in Boardrooms
The decision to quit the European Union will cause a “sense of shock” in boardrooms and generate “significant uncertainty” over trade, business and industry leaders have warned.
The decision to quit the European Union will cause a “sense of shock” in boardrooms and generate “significant uncertainty” over trade, business and industry leaders have warned.
While Scots voted overwhelmingly for remaining part of the EU, voters in England and Wales swung the result for Leave.
As the result sent the financial markets into meltdown, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland said that the decision would “create a sense of shock in Britain's boardrooms”.
But chief executive Anton Colella, stressed the need to “respect the democratic will of the British people”, calling on the Government to “act swiftly and decisively to bring clarity to key questions for business which were never answered during the campaign”.
A spokeswoman for the Scotch Whisky Association said that the “process of leaving the EU will inevitably generate significant uncertainty”
With “serious issues” to be resolved, such as the UK's trade agreements, the spokeswoman added: “The government will now need to consult as it prepares its negotiating approach.
“We urge thoughtful and serious consideration by all parties so that we can secure the best possible continued access to the EU and other export markets on which Scotch whisky's success has been built, whilst minimising costs and complexity.”
Leaders of the Scottish White Fish Producers' Association and Shetland Fishermen's Association acknowledged that most of their members had wanted out of the EU.
But they claimed the UK's exit would not bring long-term benefits without close collaboration with Holyrood and Westminster on new UK and Scottish fisheries policy.
SWFPA chief executive Mike Park said: “European Union fisheries policy is flawed - that is why so many fishermen voted to leave.
“But we need to recognise that there are significant dangers to the industry if the UK and Scottish governments do not react to the very clear message by focusing on a new approach that recognises fishermen themselves and their communities as the key stakeholders.”
Fisherman Jimmy Buchan, said he was “delighted” with the vote to leave, hailing it as a “fantastic opportunity for Scotland and the UK to start a new chapter on our relationship with Europe”.
He said: “I started a career in the fishing industry nearly half a century ago and have seen huge changes. I've witnessed colleagues and friends forced out of business and lose their livelihoods, all under supreme governance of the EU. Britain exiting the EU gives us with the chance to redefine our position in the world.”
But environmental campaigners at Friends of the Earth Scotland said the result is a “huge challenge to decades of progress on improving the environment and tackling climate change”.
Director Richard Dixon said: “Many of the politicians backing the leave vote are climate sceptics and against renewable energy, and much of the 'red tape' they complain about are the laws that have given us cleaner air and water, and forced companies to reduce pollution.
“One of the biggest reasons for being in the EU has been to work together to tackle climate change. Being out of the EU will mean the UK will have to negotiate its own climate targets with the UN and the people in charge are very unlikely to share Scotland's high ambition.”
He added: “Most of EU environmental law is devolved to the Scottish Parliament so Scotland can decide to keep these protections in place but we will still feel the impact of deep cuts to budgets for the environment.
“As a society we lose the protection of being able to appeal to European courts if either the UK or Scottish governments are failing to protect the environment.”