ALDC has produced a simple Council Motion template calling for the UK to re-join the EU Single Market.
Council notes that:
Since the UK left the single market, our economy has been hit by problems including
- HGV driver shortages that have affected local authorities’ ability to provide adequate waste and recycling services, and created problems with fuel shortages.
- Shortages in care staff that is impacting on the ability of care providers in (area name) to deliver essential services.
- Export problems in the fishing industry leading to fish caught in Scotland left rotting due to the additional red tape caused by leaving the Single Market.
- Additional bureaucratic burdens placed on business in (area name) wishing to export to Europe.
- The damaging impact the loss of EU workers has had on our local hospitality and tourism trade.
- The increased divisions and problems in Northern Ireland caused by the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocols, as well as causing issues in moving goods between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- An increase in the cost of living caused by rising food prices.
In addition, council notes:
- The failure of both the UK and Scottish Governments to plan for the likely problems that had been forewarned by leaving the single market, or to provide local Government with the financial means to tackle them.
- Many of these problems could have been avoided if the UK had adopted to leave the EU while maintaining its membership of the single market.
- That freedom of goods, labour and services across international borders enriches our society and leads to improvements in quality of life through increased trade, economic activity, and cultural exchange.
- That many who voted to leave the EU did so on the understanding that staying inside the single-market would still be a possibility.
Council agrees to:
- Support attempts to re-join the single market.
- Write to The Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs urging her to consider re-joining the single market.
- Write to Shona Robison, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, asking that she provides local authorities with the financial means to tackle the problems caused by the decision to withdraw us from the single market.