BASI – Our Opinion on the EU Referendum for the Ski Industry

With the EU referendum now 3 weeks away the topic is hotting up, and we’re going to be covering the topic from various different angles (if you’re reading this as an instructor you might want to take part in our ski instructor EU survey – if you haven’t already done so), with the overall aim to try and help provide some sort of answer for people on how the instructor industry would be affected if Britain left, or stayed in the EU.

BASI, the British Association of Snowsports Instructors is the central voice in the UK, so their opinion on the EU position matters. We contacted them, and this is the statement they gave us.

BASI Position Statement on Brexit

Securing working rights for BASI Members in the EU is a key issue for BASI. If the UK leaves and the UK Government adopts a firm stance on immigration policy there is a risk that EU countries may well respond in a similar manner and the current relatively free movement of workers from the UK to EU countries would be more difficult.

BASI supports the free movement of workers and services as it underpins employment opportunities for many of our British Members and we do not want to see this eroded. Whilst Brexit would not affect the recognition of BASI qualifications (these are currently recognised internationally), Brexit may impact the movement of UK nationals wishing to work in EU countries and this is a concern.

To that end, BASI is currently consulting with relevant MEP’s to raise BASI’s concerns.

Andrew Lockerbie and Dave Renouf met with Catherine Stihler MEP in April 2016 to brief her on the status of the MoU. Catherine is currently vice chair of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (2014- ) and is a substitute on the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (2009- ). As well as asking for her support to ensure that consideration will be given to all qualification levels within any Delegated Act that emerges, BASI took the opportunity to discuss 2 key questions with Catherine:

1. In the event of the worst case scenario (Britain leaves Europe) how will we secure the working rights of our members in European countries?

2. What are the implications for British owned and run ski schools in France?

Her current position on these two topics are “there are lots of unknowns” and it is difficult to give clear answers at this stage. However, an exit would likely put the UK in a similar situation to the likes of Norway and other non EU countries who have trade agreements with Europe.

The view on employment is that in the short term there is likely to be a continuation of the status quo, but the UK would no longer have any say on working regulations for the future. If there is an exit then working agreements in the future would be to be negotiated bilaterally with each country, which is a strategy that BASI has adopted and is familiar with.

BASI will continue to work on securing working opportunities for all disciplines and levels of its membership.

BASI, Morlich House, Grantown on Spey, PH26 3ES. TEL: 01479 861717