CBI urges government to protect UK’s booming creative industries after Brexit
The CBI has called on the government to roll out new measures to protect the UK’s booming creative industries after Brexit.
In a report published today, the business group hailed the creative industries as a key driver of growth, with exports of goods and services from the sector now contributing £50bn per year to the economy.
Read more: Visual effects firm DNEG confirms plans for £150m London listing
However, research from the Creative Industries Federation has shown that 80 per cent of firms in the creative industry – which includes advertising, publishing, film and TV – are worried their reputation will be damaged after the UK leaves the EU.
The CBI urged the government to create future immigration and skills policies that will not harm the sector and to make efforts to boost the profile of smaller businesses.
It also stated that economic harms such as copyright infringement and piracy are included in its proposed new internet regulation.
“The creative industries punch well above their weight internationally,” said CBI director general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn.
“As other countries seek to emulate the UK’s success, the government must further invest in this sector and implement world-leading copyright protections. Otherwise we risk falling behind our European counterparts post-Brexit.”
Britain’s creative industries have been a quiet success story of recent years, with the sector contributing more than £101bn to the UK economy in 2017.
But continued uncertainty around Brexit – most notably the government’s future immigration policy for foreign workers – has sparked concerns from leading industry figures about the sector’s future success.
Read more: ITV Hub hits 30m registered users as Love Island charms viewers
In its report, the CBI urged the government to live up to its promise of a public consultation on the apprenticeship levy, amid concerns most of the funds were being wasted in the creative industries.
It also slammed the mooted £30,000 earnings threshold for foreign workers, which it said would negatively impact businesses, and called on the government to match EU funding to the creative sector after Brexit.
Main image credit: Getty