British Chambers of Commerce urges a fundamental rethink of EU ties ahead of Burnham's Brussels summit, blaming Brexit red tape

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to travel to Brussels on 20 November to finalise deals on food, drink, emissions trading, and youth mobility. The visit comes as a British Chambers of Commerce survey of more than 1,500 companies revealed that over a third of businesses regard the removal of customs paperwork and delays as essential to their growth in Europe — a share that climbs to 58% among manufacturers and 56% among exporters. BCC director general Shevaun Haviland said firms are still absorbing the costs of Brexit adaptation, including red tape, administrative delays and overlapping bureaucratic requirements, and warned that "standing still is not a choice without repercussions."

The BCC has identified nine possible models for a new UK-EU relationship and is calling on the government to publish detailed comparisons of each option.

A separate S&P Global survey found manufacturers are also battling longer delivery times due to shipping rerouted around global conflicts and port congestion.

Burnham has told ministers that after the summit, the next phase will be to "explore options" for the long-term relationship, stopping short of committing to any single model.