Brexit’s Impact on the IT Channel

Following a controversial referendum in 2016 in which the U.K. voted by a narrow margin to leave the European Union (EU), the big question has been “What will be Brexit’s impact on the IT channel?”

In the channel, firms anticipated several problems, including delays to vendor shipments into the country from Europe, potential price increases on some products due to import charges and an increased strain on distribution caused by new requirements for exporting products to the EU. In addition, there were concerns Brexit could worsen the IT skills gap.

Add to this a UK-EU trade deal that wasn’t secured until the very last minute and the need to focus on keeping businesses running during the pandemic, and it’s obvious why partners found it incredibly difficult to prepare for a post-Brexit channel.

Now, almost three months after the U.K. left the EU, this report examines:

• The impact of Brexit so far on the U.K. IT channel
• How channel partners of different sizes and specializations have responded to Brexit
• How well partners were able to prepare and what unexpected roadblocks they encountered

About the Author

Christine Horton is a London-based contributing editor for Channel Futures. She writes about all kinds of technology from a business perspective. Specializing in the IT sales channel, she is a former editor and now regular contributor to leading channel and business publications.