Brexit, Belluzzo (London Chamber of Commerce): “GB will be more expensive and less European”

Due to Covid “we have not yet understood the effects of Brexit”, we will probably have to wait five years to take stock. But surely the United Kingdom “will be a less European country” and “more expensive”, where it will not be possible to come to invest or work “extemporaneously”. This was told to Adnkronos by the president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in London, Alessandro Belluzzo, invited to make an initial assessment just over six months after the start of Brexit and in view of the lifting of most of the anticovid restrictions in England on July 19. “Now we will really understand what the costs of Brexit are, I expect there will be bilateral negotiations. There are effects that have been hidden, on the social and economic level, we have all focused on covid”, explains Belluzzo. Meanwhile, “costs have increased, Brexit will lead to higher inflation, in June it was 2.5%. I expect this country to become even more expensive and even more divided between rich and poor, whoever wants to eat and drink well will pay more, we go towards a US model, where a bottle of wine costs one hundred dollars, not 50 pounds “, Belluzzo remarks. Already in the hospitality sector there is a staff problem, linked to the cost of visas, which weighs on restaurateurs . An employee that previously cost 18-20 thousand euros, now costs 20-25 thousand, plus the cost of the visa, says the president of the Chamber of Commerce. “It is important – he underlines – for those who have decided to stay here, to invest in this country, to create a system even more, to be united, to refer to the Italian system, of which the Chamber of Commerce belongs. We must avoid impromptu initiatives and shortcuts, which maybe before could have been easier to take. Because now, to be here, you need to have a real organization and a real project, because costs have increased. To be able to do well, you need to invest more, be truly competent and believe in this country, in new sectors and in what this country can give, otherwise it is better not to do so. “” In five years we will realize what Brexit is, both in the positive and negative effects, then we will be able to take stock, not before. But it will certainly be a less European country, frequented by fewer Europeans “, Belluzzo predicts. England on 19 July. “For us it is an important thing to happen, because it is necessary to give some freedom to economic activities, especially hospitality, we need a revival of the local economy of London which is then international”, says Belluzzo, speaking of a sector where there is a strong presence of Italians. We hope “that more people will come from outside, at this moment, unfortunately, London is suffering a lot in the hospitality, fashion and art sectors, there are no tourists”, Belluzzo remarks, hoping that the obligation will soon be lifted. quarantine against other states, including Italy.