Business leaders sign open letter backing Windsor Framework
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They welcome the agreement’s role in resolving significant challenges around the Northern Ireland Protocol, bolstering the UK-EU relationship and laying the foundations for increased prosperity across Northern Ireland.
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They also call on all stakeholders to use the momentum generated by the Windsor Framework to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland as swiftly as possible.
It reads:
Dear Prime Minister,
We businesses, representatives on the CBI Presidents’ Committee and the CBI’s Northern Ireland Council, congratulate the Prime Minister and the UK government for achieving the breakthrough in the negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol, and accomplishing the Windsor Framework. Business welcomes the framework as a watershed moment for the UK-EU relationship, and it represents a huge opportunity for both the Northern Irish and Great British economies.
It is vital that trade flows between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are smooth, and friction for firms is minimised. The Windsor Framework will mean that the Northern Irish economy can maximise the opportunities presented by dual access to the EU and UK markets. Due to the breadth and complexity of its scope, businesses are taking time to digest the details. However, we are nonetheless united in believing that the Windsor Framework is the most sustainable path forward for Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
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With this historic agreement behind us, now is the time for power-sharing to be restored in the Northern Ireland Executive and for political representatives to turn their attention to economic growth and delivering greater prosperity for everyone across Northern Ireland.
Signed.
Martin Agnew, Joint Managing Director, Henderson Group; Ashley Almanza, Executive Chairman, Allied Universal - International; Lord Karan Bilimoria, Founder and Chairman, Cobra Beer; Declan Billington, CEO, John Thompson & Sons Ltd; Elaine Birchall, CEO, SHS Group Ltd; John Boumphrey, Country Manager, Amazon UK; Barry Byrne, Managing Director, Mount Charles; Phil Clarke, Associate Director, MCS Group; Liam Condon, CEO, Johnson Matthey; Andrew Cosslett, Chair, Kingfisher & ITV; Brian Donaldson, CEO, The Maxol Group; Paul Drechsler, CBE, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce; Carl Ennis, CEO, Siemens Plc; Brian Gillan, Head of Retail & NI, Allied Irish Bank UK; Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast; John Harrison, General Counsel, Airbus; Miles Karemacher, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC; Brian McBride, President, Confederation of British Industry; Kevin McNamee, CEO, Denroy Group; Sir Ivan Menezes, CEO, Diageo plc; Joanne Molloy, Managing Director, TS Foods Ltd; Simon Roberts, CEO, Sainsbury’s
Across the UK, the CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors. The CBI’s corporate members together employ nearly seven million people, about one third of private sector-employees. With offices in the UK as well as representation in Brussels, Washington, Beijing and Delhi, the CBI communicates the British business voice around the world.