In a survey of over 2,500 business leaders in France, Germany, Spain and the UK to gauge reactions to the March 2019 Brexit deadline, 68% of respondents indicated that they are “prepared” for Brexit, despite political and economic uncertainties. Businesses are primed for whatever may come, with 83% of organizations having some kind of Brexit “taskforce” in place. This confidence lies more in the impact that Brexit will have on respondents’ businesses, however, for 64% of respondents across Europe are apprehensive about the UK’s exit from the EU, with most respondents stating that remaining within the EU is more preferable for the UK.

More than half of companies surveyed, or 65%, stated their belief in tariff-free goods for the UK. Around the same percentage of respondents also expect an increase in employees post-Brexit. But 88% forecast their companies’ sales to either increase or remain the same in the first year after the UK’s departure. UK businesses tend to have more anxiety over the potential impact of Brexit, with 74% expressing concern compared to an average of 61% for French, German and Spanish businesses.

Approximately 85% of respondents’ companies in the UK have response teams for Brexit, as do 82% in France, 80% in German and 84% in Spain. At the same time, just 40% of respondents have strategies to deal with supply chain issues, and less than a quarter are planning outreach efforts to policymakers.

Source: FTI Consulting