The CBI speaks for 190,000 firms of all sizes, in every sector and in every corner of the UK, and most of our companies want the UK to be in a reformed EU.
For business the benefits of full EU membership outweigh the disadvantages, but the EU must work better.
Hear what UK businesses think about the European union below - in their own words
.@PalletWaysUK "With the simplicity of the #EU single market, we have set up hubs for our distribution business in 12 countries and continue to expand. It is more difficult to do this in non-EU countries."
James Wilson,
Chief Executive, Palletways –
mid-sized distribution business
.@UK_Music "We export over 60% of the music made in the UK – our biggest markets are the European Union and America. Access to customers through the EU single market has undoubtedly helped the UK music industry become a world leader."
Jo Dipple,
Chief Executive, UK Music
– industry trade body
Some of the #EUbenefits highlighted in our report 'Choosing Our Future' are:
More customers for business, through the market of 500 million consumers, supporting more jobs back home
1 set of rules for British businesses to work by, not 28 different sets
More international investment
Access to skills for businesses to grow
Opening up a third of the world's markets for trade
Lower prices and more choice for customers.
.@Adnams "We are making British beer popular across Europe, selling easily through the #EU single market to our largest export market, Sweden, meaning we can continue to grow our 420 strong workforce back home."
Andy Wood,
Chief Executive, Adnams
– medium-sized brewery
.@MIRAEngineering "As one of the largest export markets for cars manufactured in the UK, the #EU single market is vital to thousands of businesses in the automotive industry supply chain – regardless of whether or not we export directly. Links to the European automotive sector and a successful UK car industry means we have been able to attract global automotive organisations to locate their European R&D operations at MIRA Technology Park in the Midlands."
Dr George Gillespie,
Chief Executive, HORIBA MIRA
– car industry supply chain business
.@UlsterUni "The #EU has played an integral role in the development of the collective UK economy, and particularly within Northern Ireland. This #EU relationship is pivotal to the continued competitiveness of our universities as we rely upon access to the best, most talented academics and researchers to produce industry ready graduates and world-leading research that can deliver positive impacts to local and global economies."
Professor Paddy Nixon,
Vice Chancellor, Ulster University
– international UK University
CBI members recognise that there are disadvantages to EU membership.
That's why we want reform that ensures the EU works better for business, this includes:
doing more to open up global markets
reducing and simplifying rules so that firms can grow
ensuring that non-Eurozone countries remain protected from further integration
But any alternatives to full EU membership offer more downsides than upsides.
.@Veoliauk "The European Union must ensure all regulation has a clear goal, is well-designed and enables businesses to grow and create jobs. For example, regulation around common environmental standards has helped to encourage investment in new infrastructure across the EU & UK."
Estelle Brachlianoff ,
Senior Executive Vice-President UK&Ireland, Veolia
–environmental services business
.@BeerAndPub "A deal with the United States provides a once in a generation opportunity to level the playing field for small British brewers who have to pay 157% more tax than small US brewers. Tackling this inequality could be worth millions to the British beer industry and economy – creating jobs here at home."
Brigid Simmonds OBE,
Chief Executive, British Beer & Pub Association
– beer and pubs representative
.@Juergen_Maier"EU trade agreements like the one with the US reduce trade barriers and create significant opportunities for us in the UK with more exports and job creation."
Juergen Maier,
Chief Executive, Siemens UK
– engineering business
"The European Union should
only implement rules that
create opportunities for smaller businesses
and are not unnecessary burdens."
Mike Kapur,
Small business owner, Signum Corporate Communications
Chair, CBI Small Business Forum
