KUALA LUMPUR: European Union (EU) and British leaders must take steps to boost confidence to ensure a smooth transition and send out a strong message to others including South-East Asian businesses that business will be as usual despite the alarming vote by the United Kingdom (UK) to leave the EU.
“The British public have voted. We hope that the politicians and policy makers will now work together to ensure a smooth transition,” EU-Asean Business Council (ABC) executive director Chris Humphrey said in a statement on Friday.
The EU-ABC assured that Asean remains an important region for all European businesses, including those in the UK.
“The EU-ABC has always worked to promote the development of trade and investment between Europe and Asean, and we believe that the EU and the UK will continue to increase their engagement with Asean.
“Notwithstanding the outcome of the referendum, we see the long-term trade and investment relations with Asean growing, and going from strength to strength going forward,” Humphrey said.
Europe is still the lead source of foreign direct investment funds to Asean and Europe is Asean’s second largest trading partner, after China.
The EU-ABC was established to help promote the interests of European businesses operating within Asean.
As the primary voice of European business in the region, it looks forward to continuing to work together with all relevant stakeholders to support the further development of trade and investment ties between all of Europe and Asean. - Bernama
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