Brexit - taking back control the co-operative way

Overarching Brexit principles

If our positive vision for the UK outside the EU is going to happen co-ops need to work together now to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities in Brexit. At a policy level Co-operatives UK has three overarching ‘Brexit principles’:

• Despite the Brexit workload for government, our basic policy needs must still be met
• Co-ops should not be put in a disproportionately worse position by the Brexit process
• The potential for co-ops to give people control and build a better economy should be harnessed

Competition and Brexit

We have responded to the House of Lords inquiry into how UK competition policy could and should be impacted by Brexit. Our key positions are:

• a strong and balanced competition policy should contribute to a more inclusive economy 
• the competition settlement for agricultural co-operation needs to be retained through Brexit legislation and there is scope to better tailor it to our needs once outside the CAP
• UK competition law after Brexit must retain accommodations for small players in the economy to co-operate for mutual advantage

Brexit safeguards

As Article 50 was triggered we published our 'Brexit Safeguards', setting out what needs to be protected for co-operatives during the Brexit process. In identifying our safeguards we have focused on areas of public policy that will be central to the Brexit process, namely the repatriation of EU law into UK law, and the replacement (or otherwise) of EU policy and competency with UK policy and competency.

We have also written to key ministers asking for assurances and action for co-operatives on the following issues:

• competition policy, consumer and worker protections
• environmental protections 
• public procurement
• EU structural and investment funds