AFP, Paris :
The French government on Friday urged companies to start planning in earnest for Britain to crash out of the European Union without a divorce deal, advising them to seek out new potential business partners.
In a 28-page advice booklet, the government said firms using British suppliers or sub-contractors should already be looking for alternatives.
And companies in specialist sectors operating under EU rules, such as pharmaceutical firms, were told they should consider moving their British operations back onto the European continent.
Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters that French companies should be operating under the British wartime adage to “keep calm and carry on”.
“Let’s not panic, but let’s prepare for different scenarios,” she said.
France, like other EU countries, is bracing for a potentially calamitous British exit on March 29 after the parliament in London resoundingly rejected a deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Junior Finance Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said France was “hoping for the best but planning for the worst”.
In the event of a so-called “no deal”, Britain would be treated as a third-party country with no existing trade agreement with the EU.
As one of Britain’s closest neighbours, France has been taking such a prospect seriously, activating a “no deal” plan that unlocks up to 50 million euros ($57 million) for bolstering security at ports and airports.
It has begun recruiting an additional 740 customs officials and veterinary inspectors, while passing legislation that allows for emergency decrees in the event of a “no deal”.
With just 63 days to go until Britain’s scheduled exit, Pannier-Runacher warned that a no deal would fling France “into an unprecedented situation with a major trading partner”.
The French government on Friday urged companies to start planning in earnest for Britain to crash out of the European Union without a divorce deal, advising them to seek out new potential business partners.
In a 28-page advice booklet, the government said firms using British suppliers or sub-contractors should already be looking for alternatives.
And companies in specialist sectors operating under EU rules, such as pharmaceutical firms, were told they should consider moving their British operations back onto the European continent.
Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters that French companies should be operating under the British wartime adage to “keep calm and carry on”.
“Let’s not panic, but let’s prepare for different scenarios,” she said.
France, like other EU countries, is bracing for a potentially calamitous British exit on March 29 after the parliament in London resoundingly rejected a deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Junior Finance Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said France was “hoping for the best but planning for the worst”.
In the event of a so-called “no deal”, Britain would be treated as a third-party country with no existing trade agreement with the EU.
As one of Britain’s closest neighbours, France has been taking such a prospect seriously, activating a “no deal” plan that unlocks up to 50 million euros ($57 million) for bolstering security at ports and airports.
It has begun recruiting an additional 740 customs officials and veterinary inspectors, while passing legislation that allows for emergency decrees in the event of a “no deal”.
With just 63 days to go until Britain’s scheduled exit, Pannier-Runacher warned that a no deal would fling France “into an unprecedented situation with a major trading partner”.
