Red tape stops UK brands opening EU stores

The British Retail Consortium will argue today that discriminatory legislation is preventing UK retailers from opening stores in other EU countries. In a BRC hosted debate at the Conservative Party Conference, the industry organisation will say that the

EU makes life harder for retailers through costly regulation and by failing to bring the advantages that would come from fully implementing the single market and removing national barriers to cross-border investment.

The BRC will highlight the fact that the UK is the EU's biggest destination for retail investment and say that a number of EU countries do not take the same positive view of a free market.

British Retail Consortium director general Stephen Robertson who will chair the event said: "The UK shows the clear economic and customer benefits that come from a genuinely open market. Too many other EU countries just don't get that. We currently have the disadvantages of a costly regulation machine without the full access to 500 million customers that a proper single market would give.

"I applaud the Commission's efforts to tackle discriminatory national legislation which makes it harder for UK retailers to invest in other EU countries and denies their customers the benefits. At a time when export-led growth is crucial, the Commission needs to work harder to bring down those barriers and other member states must meet their obligations."

Image: Free Trade Tee