CEFEUS Launches Draft Report on Brexit's Impact on the Rural Economy
On Friday the 28th of April, CCCU’s Centre for European Studies (CEFEUS), along with Rural PLC was proud to host a soft Launch of CEFEUS’s latest report here at Canterbury Christ Church University draft report entitled: “Kent and Medway: Making a Success of Brexit: the Role of Rural Economy”.
The event was opened by CCCU Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof David Shepherd who warmly welcomed all the participants, strongly endorsing the work of CEFEUS in engaging with relevant sectors in Kent at a crucial time. Michael Bax of Rural Plc then provided a brief overview of key issues facing the agricultural economy in Kent and Medway, followed by Charles Tassell who spent some time identifying key facts, figures and current funding opportunities for the rural economy industry.
Prof Mark Hammond and Dr Amelia Hadfield then presented aspects of the draft report. Professor Hammond set the stage by explaining the work of CEFEUS since 2016, speaking about key developments in the emerging UK-EU negotiating structure, suggesting that the UK government now needs to achieve a step change in the scale, reach, and effectiveness of mechanisms required to support the rural economy in Kent. Dr Amelia Hadfield continued by outlining three possible scenarios arising from the available data: comprising ‘soft’, ‘medium’ and ‘hard’ options regarding the availability of support payments, labour agreements, legislative changes, structural changes and financing arising in the short, medium and long term as a result of Brexit.
The keynote speaker, Mr Richard Ashworth, M.E.P. for South-East England then gave a stirring speech regarding the very real lack of preparedness within key governmental actors, the published EU negotiating agenda, the intrinsic difficulties that Brexit negotiations would likely bring, and the potential volatilities that trade and rural economy could face in the next few years. While a variety of opportunities were also outlined, Mr Ashworth strongly supported the need for ongoing dialogue between the rural economy sector, and Kent as a whole, and HM Government, in order to make clear the precise industry requirements for Brexit.
The Q&A session which followed reflected the need for further information and engagement on behalf of Kent’s rural economy. Accordingly, CEFEUS will continue to bring together participants from across the rural economy sector, with the assistance of Sophie Moate, Chiar of CEFEUS’s Sectoral Group on the Rural Economy, providing networking opportunities, outreach and collating insights and data, all of which is necessary to complete the final report, envisaged for the end of June.