BCC Director General calls for ‘new settlement with our closest neighbours’

• Director General Shevaun Haviland calls on the Government to push for a new settlement with the EU to support British businesses to expand and drive growth.
• More than 400 businesses are expected at the British Chambers of Commerce’s 2025 Driving International Trade Conference in Central London.
• Haviland is speaking ahead of the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy MP, who is giving a keynote address to businesses, as well as representatives from more than 30 Chambers of Commerce from around the UK and internationally.
• BCC will take a delegation of leading British businesses to Washington, alongside Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP to meet with Ambassador Mandelson.

The Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), Shevaun Haviland, is urging the Government to accelerate efforts to reset UK/EU relations to quickly remove trade barriers for businesses.

She will make the plea at the BCC Driving International Trade Conference 2025 on Thursday March 20 in Central London.

In her keynote address, Haviland will warn that as the world order shifts, with unique geopolitical challenges, UK businesses are calling out for a pragmatic, growth-driven package of improvements to the UK/EU trading relationship.

She will also highlight the importance of strengthening UK/US trading relations, announcing that the BCC will lead a delegation of some of Britain’s largest businesses to Washington, alongside the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, to meet with Ambassador Mandelson.

On UK/EU reset

Shevaun Haviland is expected to highlight how businesses ‘want to see more than just a reset moment, they want to see a timeline, clear process and eventual agreements to ensure the best working partnership for all our nations’.

She will add: “We hope the Leader’s UK/EU summit between the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Presidents von der Leyen and Costa in the UK on 19 May is constructive and moves the dial.”

On the changing world order

Shevaun Haviland is expected to say “We must keep a cool head as we begin to grasp this new world order. A new relationship with the EU is more important now than ever given the challenging geopolitics of our time.”

She will warn that: “The challenges of security in Europe and our own national interests mean investment in defence and security must take more of a priority.”

Haviland will emphasise the importance of ‘rebuilding relationships with our closest neighbours; that we are deploying our best negotiators to secure valuable FTAs across the globe; and we do not have a knee-jerk reaction to headlines’.

On UK/US trade relationship

Shevaun Haviland will highlight how for UK businesses: “Trade with Europe and the US is not an either or. It is in our economic interests to maximise the opportunities for UK growth in both.”

Recognising the threat of further tariffs for the UK, following President Trump announcing tariffs of 25% for all imports of steel and aluminium from the UK to the US, Shevaun will warn that: “A wider conflict on trade would be a lose-lose scenario for the global economy, and we will not be immune from the consequences of that here in the UK. It is vital that the UK Government stays calm.”

On Brand Britain

Haviland will highlight that ‘as we witness a daily change in our global supply chains, international markets offer unique advantages for Brand Britain. Getting our trade strategy right, grasping opportunities and building the right environment for UK businesses can only lead to growth’.   

Read more latest news from the BCC here.

20.03.2025