The Construction Leadership Council, which has set up the group, said it aims to make the industry Brexit ready and will produce an impact report in September.
In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the group will highlight business-critical issues facing construction that the Government should urgently address before the transition period ends this year.
It will also champion opportunities for construction in the numerous ongoing trade deal negotiations with the EU and rest of the world.
Andy Mitchell, Co-chair of the CLC said: “The CLC has a leading role to play in getting our business ready for the changes that will come at the end of the transition period.
“While businesses contend with the fallout from COVID-19 and adjust to the new ways of working, the clock continues to tick on reaching an agreement with the EU.
“Whether we reach an agreement or not, our relationship with our European neighbours and the rest of the world will change and we’ll be doing all we can to help the industry adapt, adjust and rise to meet the Prime Minister’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ ambition.”
Four key tasks
- Movement of People: preparing for the new immigration rules, accessing alternative labour supply and reciprocal arrangements on skills and qualifications in new trade deals.
- Movement of Goods and Materials: preparing for the new customs regime, guidance on WTO rules in the event of no agreement with the EU and alternative sourcing opportunities in the rest of the world and the domestic market.
- Standards and Alignment: guidance on the Construction Products Regulation, EU notified bodies, CE marking, UK designated standards, UKCA marking and the longer term prospects of (de)harmonisation and (de)alignment.
- Data Adequacy: business awareness of the potential impact and mitigating actions on data flow in the event of no agreement with the EU and no decision by the European Commission on the UK’s ‘data adequacy’.
In addition, the existing workstreams of the CLC will also take on Brexit-readiness related work, helping to produce guidance on matters including procurement and contracts.
James Butcher, Head of Policy at the National Federation of Builders, who is co-ordinating the Brexit Working Group added: “We’ve identified four key areas that we believe are critical for business continuity as we enter a new post-Brexit world.
“We will be publishing a suite of short guidance beginning in September that explains those changes and prepares businesses for what will happen both in terms of the changes we know about and in the event of no agreement.
“We’ll also be holding short online seminars in the autumn to explain and communicate the guidance produced.”
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