Lobbyorganisation: 70 000 jobb hotas av ”hård brexit”

TheCityUK champions UK-based financial and related professional services. It is a membership body, lobbying on the industry’s behalf, producing evidence of its importance to the wider national economy. In the UK, the EU and internationally, TheCityUK seeks to influence policy which drives competitiveness, creating jobs and lasting economic growth. Its authoritative research and economic insight brings together the highest level of government and most senior industry figures, to shape better policy decisions, for the sector and its consumers. TheCityUK produces evidence-based policy proposals on the issues that matter most to the industry, its members and the customers they serve. It promotes open markets and seeks to create the conditions which lead to business opportunities and economic growth. Its members enjoy unrivalled connectivity and profile-building across industry, government and the media. TheCityUK’s programme of work falls into three main areas of activity; UK Work Programme - TheCityUK provides a strong and clear voice to promote financial and related professional services in the UK creating evidence of the industry’s value, ensuring its benefits and economic contribution are understood, while driving the jobs and growth agenda. EU Work Programme - The UK is Europe’s financial centre, accounting for over 2 million of the EU’s 11 million financial services jobs. TheCityUK has taken a leading role in producing robust evidence on behalf of its members to inform and shape the debate about the benefits financial services bring to the continent. Its evidence-based policy work shapes EU regulation to ensure the area remains competitive. International Work Programme - Financial and related professional services are the UK’s biggest exporting industries, making a £55bn contribution annually to the balance of trade. TheCityUK works to maintain and improve international competitiveness for the UK by supporting market opportunities for its members, including through an extensive programme of work on trade and investment policy.

The United Kingdom (UK) intends to withdraw from the European Union (EU), a process commonly known as Brexit, as a result of a June 2016 referendum in which 51.9% voted to leave the EU. The separation process is complex, causing political and economic changes for the UK and other countries. On 2 October 2016, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced she would trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017 which would make the UK set to leave the EU by the end of March 2019. The terms for withdrawal have not been established; however May has promised a bill to remove the European Communities Act 1972 from the statute book and to transfer existing EU laws into the UK domestic law. In the meantime, the UK remains a full member of the European Union. The term "Brexit" is a portmanteau of the words "British" and "exit". The process of withdrawal from the European Union has, since 2007, been governed by Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. No member state has ever left the EU. Under Article 50 the withdrawal must be in accordance with the Member State's constitutional requirements and uncertainty exists as to the constitutional requirements in the UK. Unless extensions are agreed to unanimously by the Council of the European Union, the timing for leaving under the article is two years from when the UK gives official notice, but this official notice was not given immediately following the referendum in June 2016. The assumption is that during the two-year window new agreements will be negotiated, but there is no requirement that there be new agreements. Some aspects, such as trade agreements, may be made difficult to negotiate by the EU until after Britain has formally left the EU. Withdrawal has been the goal of various individuals, advocacy groups, and political parties since the UK joined the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor of the EU, in 1973, though continued membership of the EEC and the Common Market was approved in a 1975 referendum by 67.2% of votes.