Minister-delegate Ciamba on Brexit: Romania's business milieu should get ready for any outcome

Minister-delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba called on Monday on Romania's business milieu to get ready for "any possible outcome" in the case of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, mentioning that it could be confronted with the consequences of a "disordered withdrawal."

"We want to use this occasion to also (...) launch a call from Romania's Government to Romania's business milieu to start or continue to get ready for any possible outcome. (...) The EU member states are affected differently by Brexit, depending of the geographic proximity to the UK, but also depending on the level of commercial exchanges, but this doesn't mean that there is no effect. There is an effect and it will be pretty important for Romania's business milieu also, which can be confronted with the consequences of a disordered withdrawal. It is absolutely necessary to foresee the measures that shall be adopted in view of softening the effects of a 'no deal' scenario," Ciamba stated at the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) headquarters, within a debate on this topic.

He explained that the event he participated in is part of an information campaign regarding Brexit, which isn't just about the citizens' rights, but also about the effects of the UK's withdrawal from the EU on the business milieu, but also the ones at macroeconomic level.

"It's not only about what we have in the bilateral relation with the UK from a commercial point of view. When talking about the economic operators, they have to be careful and see which is the level of disjunction that will be on the rest of the markets, because it is clear that the single European market, in its entirety, can be affected by a brutal, without an agreement withdrawal of the UK from the EU and it's very important to see not only the effects of round one, they should look at the effects of round two as well, because there might be some considerable effects in traditional markets for Romania," he said.

The dignitary warned that the UK's withdrawal from the EU without an agreement doesn't represent "an abstract matter," but one that can affect us and which Romania should be ready for.

"It's important, while holding the Presidency of the EU Council, not to forget about the preparation at national level. We, what we are doing at the Council level is at a very fast pace (...) from the Council's point of view, I believe that we are moving fast enough and we will be on time," Minister George Ciamba added.

Minister Ciamba also said that Brexit "is an unusual situation" for the EU, "a black swan."

"Normally, the European project wasn't built and doesn't have within all the necessary leverages to allow (...) the countries that joined it to withdraw afterwards. (...) A European integration process cannot be built with safeguards if some of those who are part of the club get out," Ciamba stated. AGERPRES (RO - author: Catalin Alexandru, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)