North West business leaders say EU membership 'vital' to region's economy

The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT), an independent group of business leaders whose aim is to support the economic health of the region, has lent its support for the UK remaining in the European Union.

In a statement issued today (October 27), the organisation said it believes the arguments for staying in the EU are stronger from the point of view of the North West.

Around 4.3m UK jobs depend on links with the EU, according to the NWBLT, with much more of those located in the North than the South of England.

Furthermore, the organisation said the value of the current (2014 - 2020) EU Structural Funds programme to the North West economy sits at around £800m.

Siemens UK CEO Juergen Maier, who is chairman of the NWBLT, said: “The EU strengthens the position for us in the UK by reducing trade barriers and facilitating export growth and job creation.

“As the North of England looks forward to the prospect of a resurgence of national and international investment, it is vital to remain party to the trade agreements which EU membership gives us around the world.”

The organisation has also said that EU membership represents the interests of the North West as the largest manufacturing region in the UK, claiming that both small and large firms in the automotive and engineering sectors regard EU membership as “essential” for unlocking growth.

The University of Liverpool’s vice chancellor, Professor Janet Beer, is another member of the NWBLT.

She commented: “Being in Europe means we can achieve greater impact from our universities’ ground-breaking research, improving people’s lives through advances and discoveries.

“In the EU, universities can provide more life-changing opportunities for British students and staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they, and the UK, need to succeed.”