Speaking on the BBC Radio's Wake Up to Money and Today programmes, Roberts said the time was right for the UK government to reset the UK’s relationship with the EU and boost trade.
Regulatory alignment, he claimed, was a key factor in smoothing trade across EU/UK borders; unless a requirement was demonstrably not in the UK’s own interest, then the UK should default to a principle of alignment.
“Support for a vibrant, growing, UK manufacturing base will in turn support economic growth, and right now there is an excellent opportunity to reset and realign with the EU to help make that a reality,” he said.
“A failure to maintain the standards of our biggest trading bloc presents a cost, but if we can make sure that standards are common, it will reduce cost to British business, and in turn, the consumer. Unless something is demonstrably not in the UK’s own interest, then we should be asking why we aren’t aligning with EU rules.”
Roberts likewise argued for a long-term plan for infrastructure and energy in the UK, to help attract investment into manufacturing.
Giving manufacturers faith in grid capacity and connections, he said, was critically important.
“Aside from the need for regulatory alignment, British businesses need a long-term national industrial strategy that will support higher levels of investment and growth,” he said.
“For manufacturers, energy sources are critical – we need to understand the source and cost of energy, how we connect to it, if the power supply is sufficient, and how the grid will support it, before any planning to invest in new technologies or factories can happen.
“For our part, DS Smith has already invested into lower-carbon facilities in Italy and Poland, and into greener technologies in Germany, France and Spain, because we have ambitious decarbonisation targets and the industrial and energy policy frameworks in those countries are made clear. With a clear plan, the UK can underscore why it is an attractive place to invest, and growth can follow.”
Alistair Hunter, managing director of the employee-owned commercial print SME DS Group, told Printweek he agreed with many of Roberts’ points.
“It is inconceivable that the UK would not align with EU regulations where this benefits the UK export markets,” he said.
“There will always be some regulation that conflicts with the UK, but if we wish to continue to grow external markets, then some parity must exist.”
Michael Green, managing director of wide-format firm Moss, backed Roberts’ suggestion of better alignment with EU standards.
Speaking to Printweek, he said: “I’m 100% in favour of better alignment with the EU – the pain the extra red tape has caused businesses such as ours is considerable – I will probably annoy a few readers, but Brexit has been a mess.
“It’s time to put some grown ups in a room and get a better trading relationship worked out.”
Zoe Deadman, managing director of Cornish B-Corp, KCS Print, said Roberts’ advice to the government was “common sense.”
She told Printweek that red tape at customs was harmful to mutually beneficial trade relationships, and that the UK’s current energy infrastructure was holding back development of greener energy supplies vital to help UK print firms decarbonise.
“The limits placed on solar and wind projects, due to the capacity imitations of the National Grid, are harming the UK’s industrial net zero strategy. Businesses are struggling to get foresight on what will and won’t be accepted.
“This has resulted in rejected projects that would have reduced the carbon impact of [manufacturing] sites, whilst also mitigating against rising operating costs. A longer-term plan with greater transparency over regional infrastructure upgrades would be widely welcomed.”
Hunter added: “if we wish to have overseas and UK investment that creates secure jobs and future prosperity, the government needs to have a clear policy for energy.
“It is not only the large companies that wish to decarbonise. I know many SMEs that are actively looking to invest in technologies that reduce their carbon footprint, but are being held back due to the current lack of policies/infrastructure.
“The Government needs to create a roadmap that clearly identifies the way forward for investors.”
