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BMW joins Airbus in Brexit warning BMW joins Airbus in Brexit warning
(35 minutes later)
The car giant BMW has followed plane maker Airbus in warning of the adverse consequences of Brexit.The car giant BMW has followed plane maker Airbus in warning of the adverse consequences of Brexit.
BMW UK boss Ian Robertson told the BBC it needed clarity by the end of the summer. It makes the Mini and Rolls Royce in the UK. BMW UK boss Ian Robertson says clarity is needed by the end of the summer. BMW makes the Mini and Rolls Royce and employs about 8,000 people in the UK.
Earlier, Airbus warned it could leave the UK if it exits the European Union single market and customs union without a transition deal. Earlier, Airbus, which employs 14,000 people in the UK, warned it could leave if the UK exits the single market and customs union with no transition deal.
The UK government says it is confident of getting a good deal for industry.The UK government says it is confident of getting a good deal for industry.
The customs union brings together the EU's 28 members in a duty-free area, in which they pay the same rate of duty on non-EU goods.The customs union brings together the EU's 28 members in a duty-free area, in which they pay the same rate of duty on non-EU goods.
Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out staying in the customs union. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.Prime Minister Theresa May has ruled out staying in the customs union. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.
Mr Robertson said he needed to know what the government's preferred position is on customs and trade within months or his company - and the UK's - competitive position could be harmed. Mr Robertson said he needed to know what the government's preferred position was on customs and trade within months or his company - and the UK's - competitive position could be harmed.
"If we don't get clarity in the next couple of months we have to start making those contingency plans - which means investing money in systems that we might not need... which means making the UK less competitive than it is in a very competitive world right now," he said."If we don't get clarity in the next couple of months we have to start making those contingency plans - which means investing money in systems that we might not need... which means making the UK less competitive than it is in a very competitive world right now," he said.
He said it was a decisive issue that ultimately could damage his industry. "That is a decisive issue that ultimately could damage this industry."
Airbus, in its Brexit "risk assessment" published on Thursday, said if the UK left the EU next year without a deal - meaning it left both the single market and customs union immediately and without any agreed transition - it would "lead to severe disruption and interruption of UK production".Airbus, in its Brexit "risk assessment" published on Thursday, said if the UK left the EU next year without a deal - meaning it left both the single market and customs union immediately and without any agreed transition - it would "lead to severe disruption and interruption of UK production".
The European planemaker said the warning was not part of "project fear", but was a "dawning reality".
But Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "Obviously we take any warning from any major company seriously, but my message to them and my message to all businesses is that we genuinely expect to have a sensible partnership for the future that will benefit both us and the European Union."
Mr Grayling said there had been a large number of investment announcements in the UK over the last 18 months.
Former director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce John Longworth, who co-chairs Leave Means Leave, said Airbus had said similar warnings years ago.
"They've also said that they're quite prepared to move production to places like China, which is not even in the European Union," he told the BBC.
"So how can that possibly be anything to do with Brexit?
"If this company makes those sorts of moves and claims it's about Brexit then they're completely disingenuous."
Airbus's 14,000 UK staff are employed across 25 manufacturing sites, about half are in Wales.
The company, which makes wings for the A320, A330/A340, A350 and A380 passenger planes in the UK, also said the current planned transition period, due to end in December 2020, was too short for it to make changes to its supply chain.
As a result, it would "refrain from extending" its UK supplier base. It said it currently had more than 4,000 suppliers in the UK.