Fear of hard Brexit pushes one in three firms to plan move abroad

Nearly one in three British businesses are actively considering relocating some of their operations abroad or have already moved them to cope with a hard Brexit, according to a leading lobby group.

hard Brexit，即“硬脱欧”，是指英国彻底脱离欧盟和欧洲单一市场，让英国全面掌控边界、移民和司法政策。受英国脱欧不确定性持续发酵的影响，很多外资企业选择关厂、撤资，规避风险，英国本土企业有三分之一在考虑迁往海外。

The Institute of Directors says 29% of firms in a survey of 1,200 members have taken action or are looking into a move, believing Brexit poses a significant risk to their UK operations.

poses a risk 构成风险
pose 本身就有“造成（威胁、问题等），引起”的意思，类似的表达还有：pose a threat / challenge / danger

More than one in 10 have already set up operations outside the UK as the prospect of a no-deal Brexit becomes more likely amid Westminster gridlock.

prospect 这里表示“可能性；希望”
这个词一般是“前景；展望；设想”的意思，例如：an exciting prospect 表示“令人兴奋的前景”
gridlock 常用义是“交通堵塞”，这里指“（政治）僵局”，与deadlock 同义

Most companies considering a move are looking to open offices inside the EU, says the IoD,which represents 30,000 firms.

Large companies such as Sony and Panasonic have already relocated their European headquarters from the UK to mainland Europe, but the IoD said smaller companies were also carrying out plans.

Morgan,the IoD's interim joint director general,said a surge of smaller firms had taken action in the past week.

interim 表示“临时的，过渡的”，in the interim 表示“在其间；在其前”
surge 是指“突发，激增”，a surge of 指“一批，一阵儿”

“While the actions of big companies have been making headlines, these figures suggest that smaller enterprises are increasingly considering taking the serious step of moving some operations abroad.

For these firms, typically with tighter resources, to be thinking about such a costly course of action makes clear the precarious position they are in.”

precarious 指“危险的，不确定的”

At the weekend the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) said thousands of firms were gearing up to move operations abroad or stockpiling goods.

gear up 表示“加紧处理”，gear 本意是指“齿轮，排挡”。
stockpile 作名词指“囤聚的物资”，此处用作动词，意思是“大量储备”

On Wednesday Carolyn Fairbairn, head of the CBI, Britain’s most powerful business lobby group, warned that businesses were “accelerating” their plans for a no-deal Brexit.

“I don’t think there will be a single business this morning who is stopping or halting their no-deal planning,” she said, adding: “I fear they may even be accelerating it.”

Paul James, director of Arquebus Solutions, a Coventry-based security consultancy that tracks the illegal trafficking of firearms, told the Guardian he had moved part of the company to Malta to stay in the EU.

tracks the illegal trafficking of firearms 追踪枪支的非法买卖

He said: “We work with agencies such as the United Nations and the European commission to support countries that are less advanced in dealing with the threat posed by the criminal use and supply of firearms.

less advanced in dealing with the threat 在应对威胁上进展较慢
the threat posed by the criminal use and supply of firearms 枪支非法使用和供应所构成的威胁

We are proud to promote ourselves as a UK company and the union flag is an integral part of our logo.

integral 基本的；构成整体所必需的
integrity 正值；诚实

However, we have had to make contingency plans to enable us to continue to be eligible for funding from the EU and to trade with EU member states.”

contingency 意思是“可能发生的事；偶发(或不测、意外)事件”，近义词是 possibility
contingency plans 指“应变计划”。
eligible 表示“有资格的；合格的”，它的反义词是“ineligible”
member states 成员国

Since the 2016 vote to leave the EU, business groups including the BCC and the CBI have lobbied ministers, arguing exporters need access to the EU's customs union, which allows goods to be imported tariff-free.

need access to the EU's customs union 需要加入欧盟关税联盟

But the Prime Minister, has insisted the UK must leave the customs union and EU single market if the referendum result is to be fully respected.

if the referendum result is to be fully respected 如果想公投结果得到完全尊重

Other small and medium-sized businesses are now close to executing a partial move.

executing a partial move 执行部分动作

Tim Hardman, managing director of London-based Niche Science and Technology, said he had recently been to Vienna to view office space for an offshoot inside the EU, which currently sets the regulations for the UK's pharmaceuticals industry.

offshoot 分支机构
pharmaceuticals industry 制药行业
fire / safety / building regulations 指“防火条例、安全规章、建筑法规”

“Britain has been at the forefront of developing the EU’s regulations. Now we are going to be a backwater with no influence at all,” he said.

at the forefront of 表示“处于最前列”
backwater 是指“死水；停滞不进的状态或地方”