RESPONDING to UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s confirmation that Article 50 was due to be triggered this week, the national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that it needs to be the “starting gun for a pro-business Brexit”.

Smaller businesses want to make sure that easy access to the EU single market and the right talent feature prominently in the forthcoming negotiations, said Mike Cherry.

“A fifth (21 per cent) of small businesses with staff employ non-UK EU citizens, with almost half of these (47 per cent) relying predominantly on mid-skilled staff. They include care, construction and production workers who often require specialist skills and training,” continued Mr Cherry.

“The right to remain for these non-UK EU citizens must be guaranteed at the earliest opportunity to provide reassurance to smaller firms and their work forces. Settling this issue is crucial to business owners and the economy.

“In addition, any future immigration system must ensure that small firms can easily recruit the right person, for the right job, at the right time without adding additional administrative burdens on already time and resource strapped small businesses.”

One-in-three FSB members trades overseas, with the vast majority trading with the EU (92 per cent of small business exporters, 85 per cent of importers).

The group believes that the Government must ensure that its proposed comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU retains the same ease of trade as now, with no new barriers for small businesses.

FSB research finds that nearly half (47 per cent) of exporting small businesses say that tariffs play a role in where they export.

Mr Cherry concluded: “In addition, non-tariff barriers (for example customs administration) are of equal importance. Just as importantly, the Government needs to provide additional support to small businesses to ensure they can capitalise on new trade opportunities with non-EU markets post-Brexit.”