World News – GB – April warns UK business that it will be difficult to maintain without the Brexit deal

A senior executive at the Japanese auto giant Nissan has warned that it will be difficult to continue its UK operations if the country leaves the European Union without a trade agreement.

Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta told Reuters: “If [the exit] happens without any sustainable business case then it is clearly not a question of Sunderland or not Sunderland, it is clear that our UK business will not be sustainable, that’s it.

Nissan currently employs about 7,000 people at its plant in Sunderland in the Northeast, which it plans to expand.

But Gupta’s comments come as the European Union has warned the United Kingdom that it has only 10 days to agree on a trade deal before the transition period ends on January 1..

Throughout the negotiation process, Nissan has repeatedly called for a « structured and balanced Brexit » to protect its business interests.

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Unlike a number of its auto peers, it has remained committed to the UK, and announced earlier this year that it will spend £ 52 million expanding the Sunderland plant to build its own Qashqai model..

Any job loss in the Northeast due to the company’s departure would be a blow to Boris Johnson’s election pledge to « upgrade » the economically disadvantaged parts of the UK.

Gupta also said that despite media reports, Nissan will not seek compensation from the government for costs incurred by Brexit without a deal..

Read more: UK car production has reached its lowest level since 1995 as the industry calls for a « vital Brexit deal »

In the absence of a bargain, the car manufacturer may face new customs duties on its vehicles, as well as delays in the supply of spare parts from abroad due to new customs checks.

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