Business groups call for 'urgent progress' in Brexit negotiations 27 Jun 2018As the EU Withdrawal Bill becomes law, business groups and unions from the UK and the EU have called for ‘increased pace and urgency’ in Brexit negotiations. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have joined forces with EU organisations to call on the UK government and the EU to ‘inject pace and urgency in the negotiations, bringing about measurable progress, in particular a backstop arrangement to avoid a hard border in Ireland’. ‘Decisions will be needed in June and October to finalise the withdrawal agreement and the transitional arrangement, and put economic interests and people’s jobs, rights and livelihoods first.’ The Bill finally received Royal Assent after a number of previous defeats in the House of Lords. Brexit Secretary David Davis described the passing of the EU Withdrawal Act as a ‘landmark moment’.