With just a year to go until the UK formally leaves the European Union, we are working tirelessly to get the best Brexit deal possible for architects.
We now know that Brexit will be followed by a transition period, ending on 31 December 2020, which will provide welcome continuity on many of the issues affecting the sector; nevertheless, Britain’s new relationship with the EU and the rest of the world will have profound consequences for the way architects live, work and do business and we are ensuring that the voice of our members is heard in the debates that matter to the profession.
Listening to your experiences
In November 2016 we first asked RIBA members for their views and experiences in light of the referendum. Your feedback into the challenges facing the profession gave us crucial insight when setting our priorities for a Brexit deal that works for UK architecture.
Members told us they were concerned about the impact of Brexit on their businesses and their clients, on the future flow of the best talent into UK architecture and on their ability to do business in Europe.
However, architects were also quick to see the potential opportunities – from trade agreements with new markets, reform of public procurement and a new deal for public and private sector investment.
In December 2017 and January 2018, we carried out a second survey of RIBA members, the largest and most comprehensive survey of architects since the referendum, to get an updated picture of the major concerns and opportunities facing architects across the country. Results from this survey, along with recommendations to Government were published last week (21 March 2018) in a report: Global by Design 2018.
Ensuring your voice is heard
Since the referendum, we have made significant progress in getting key issues for the profession on the table with Government and ensuring your voice is heard at the highest level. On 19 March, the UK Government and EU Commission reached agreement on the terms of the post-Brexit transition period – agreeing that the mutual recognition of architects’ and other professionals’ qualifications, a key issue for our profession, will continue until at least 2020, and giving some certainty to our European colleagues worried about their status here.
Our efforts, drawing on the experience and insight of our members, have been crucial in making the case for issues like this to be treated as a priority in the Brexit negotiations.
Making the case for the profession
We have continued to make that case through an extensive programme of research and policy development over the last year, publishing recommendations to Government on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and on how to build a post-Brexit immigration system that works for UK architecture – in response to more than 80% of RIBA members telling us that continued access to the best global talent was critical to the future of the profession.
In December 2017, we published ground-breaking new research into the contribution architecture makes to the UK economy – over £4.8bn in GVA every year – and the export potential of the sector. This research, Global Talent, Global Reach, is supporting our efforts to open up new opportunities for architectural services through our engagement with the Department for International Trade, including new mutual recognition agreements with countries around the world.
Working collaboratively
The RIBA is working with organisations across the construction, professional services and creative sectors to ensure that the interests of architects are represented in the Brexit debate. This has included a joint statement of priorities with the RICS, RTPI and CIOB as well as joint events at the major political party conferences last autumn to lead the debate on the future of the built environment sector, and senior engagement with Government including through our membership of Creative Industries Council and other Government working groups, to ensure that the UK remains an attractive place to do business.
And, in addition to meetings with ministers, civil servants and politicians across Westminster, we have connected our members directly with decision-makers in Government by hosting roundtables of architects with the Department for International Trade and the Migration Advisory Committee, to ensure that the challenges facing the profession are directly communicated to officials.
Supporting our members
We are also helping our members adapt to the new environment. The new circumstances we find ourselves in will require practices to be light on their feet to make the most of new opportunities and weather new challenges.
Feedback from RIBA members told us that one-fifth of architects plan to respond to Brexit by doing more work internationally, but many members are concerned about the impact of Brexit on their business and them as professionals – responding to this, we have published research and guidance for practices on Practice Resilience and Working Internationally to help practices develop the skills to prosper in the new environment. More locally, the RIBA’s regional teams are regularly hosting events for local members to help architects share experiences and intelligence with each other.
We continue to publish our monthly Future Trends survey, monitoring employment and business trends affecting the architectural profession and providing insights to support business decision-making on areas affected by economic uncertainty; including workload, staff levels and work in specific sectors.
What we will be doing next
Over the next 365 days and beyond, we will continue to press the case for the profession and make sure your voice continues to be heard as the UK Government and EU Commission negotiate the terms of Britain’s future relationship with the EU and the rest of the world – calling for an immigration system that enables practices to benefit from the best global talent, retention of quality product standards and support for further growth in architectural exports to the EU and beyond. As more information becomes available on the shape of the final Brexit deal, we are also committed to providing RIBA members with guidance on the terms of the agreement and what it will mean for them, as well as support for managing changes that come from the new environment.
Architects are at their best when they can shape and respond to the changing world around us – we are committed to providing our members with the skills and support they will need to survive and thrive as Britain leaves the EU.
