Paints, coatings and printing inks bodies to continue co-operation post Brexit

The British Coatings Federation (BCF) and CEPE (the European association representing paints and inks) have pledged to continue their working relationship beyond Brexit.

The UK and EU industries’ supply chains are heavily interconnected - Europe is a key market for the UK paints, coatings and printing inks industry, which comprises over 60% of UK exports, whilst 80% of paint and ink imports to the UK are from the EU. 50% of BCF members are British, with the rest predominantly owned by European, American and Japanese parent companies, the vast majority having UK manufacturing facilities. Both the BCF and CEPE welcomed the UK Prime Minister’s announcement that the UK has the ambition to stay within the European Chemicals Agency, and the associations are keen to see the following come from the negotiations: - A customs union or agreement between the UK and the EU to ensure frictionless trade, avoiding potential delays and disruption to the industry. - A harmonised chemical regulatory framework between the UK and the EU, including REACH, BPR and CLP. - No deviation from the high level of environmental and safety standards of products in the UK, which currently exist in the EU. - 0% tariffs on finished goods (paints, coatings and inks) and raw materials for our industries which are traded between the UK and the EU. - The free movement of skilled workers between the EU 27 and the UK