Policy advocacy on regional inequality and trade
2024-01-01
Post-Brexit, Wales lost direct access to EU structural funds that had invested billions in the country's most deprived areas, as well as direct trade relationships with European partners. The UK Government's replacement fund (the Shared Prosperity Fund) has been criticised for both its scale and its centralised allocation model, which bypasses the Welsh Government.
Chambers Wales champions the use of devolved powers to address two interconnected post-Brexit challenges: regional inequality within Wales and the development of new international trade links. The organisation argues that the centralised allocation of replacement EU funds through the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund fails to account for Wales' specific economic needs and regional patterns, and that the Welsh Government should have greater control over economic development funding. On trade, Chambers Wales makes the case that an autonomous Welsh trade promotion capacity — building on the Welsh Government's existing international offices — is essential for connecting Welsh businesses to global markets in a post-Brexit landscape. These arguments connect devolution to concrete business outcomes: access to funding, trade opportunities, and regional development strategies tailored to Welsh economic geography.