Thirty-eight organisations representing the engineering profession have united following the EU referendum to support government in the forthcoming negotiations. UK engineering accounts for 27% of UK GDP and over half of its exports. The profession therefore believes it is critical that the government’s plan is informed by a clear understanding of the potential solutions, opportunities and risks from the perspective of UK engineering.

At a meeting on 29 June 2016, these 38 organisations agreed to cooperate to provide evidence-based advice to government and ensure that the needs of all sectors that have a dependence on engineering are represented and understood. The Royal Academy of Engineering is leading this work.

A project has been established to consult widely across engineering and beyond, to gather evidence and to analyse the risks and opportunities and produce advice to underpin a strong negotiating position and a positive result for the UK. A letter has been sent outlining the offer of support throughout the planning and negotiating stages to the European Union Unit leading the transition planning.

Philip Greenish CBE, Chief Executive of the Academy, said: “Never in my lifetime has there been an issue that so emphatically requires strategic collaboration across the engineering profession. We are rising to this challenge and pooling our resources to provide government with the best advice and access to our networks to inform its planning and leadership role. We are building a new, proactive framework for making engineering advice available to government on these critical matters for now and for the duration of the change process.”

Jon Prichard CEng FICE FInstRE, Chief Executive of the Engineering Council, added: “The Engineering Council will continue to work with the professional engineering community to ensure that the needs of the profession, including the crucial role that registration plays in maintaining public confidence in engineering products and services, are understood by government. 

“In terms of the status of Chartered Engineers, Incorporated Engineers, Engineering Technicians, and ICT Technicians, the result of the EU referendum will not affect our interest in continuing to seek mutual recognition in other jurisdictions around the world. We will also continue to work as an active member of the profession’s key international organisations and agreements, as we have done since their inception. We expect the Engineering Council’s relationships with its European partners to be unaffected.”