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A furry blue monster is warning Dutch businesses about Brexit

Jessica Yun
Dutch minister of foreign affairs Stef Blok throws his hands up at the ‘Brexit Monster’. <em>(Source: Twitter/@ministerBlok)</em>
Dutch minister of foreign affairs Stef Blok throws his hands up at the ‘Brexit Monster’. (Source: Twitter/@ministerBlok)

The Dutch government is urging its citizens to consider the impact of Brexit on their businesses with the help of a hairy blue Brexit ‘muppet’.

Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok posted a Tweet on Thursday of himself throwing his hands up and looking exasperated at a furry blue ‘monster’ – with an oversized head and wearing a white t-shirt with the word ‘BREXIT’ emblazoned on it – laying on his table.

“Make sure Brexit doesn’t sit – or lie – in your way,” the tweet warns.

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The tweet also includes a link directing Dutch entrepreneurs to do a ‘Brexit Impact Scan’, which helps them assess the consequences that Britain’s exit from the European Union on March 29 will have on their businesses.

The UK represents the Netherlands’ third biggest export market, and Brexit could mean a loss of up to 1.2 per cent of the Netherlands’ GDP by 2030 – equivalent to 10 billion euros – according to analysis by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

“This is all to raise awareness,” foreign ministry spokesman Dirk-Jan Vermeij said.

“Brexit is not only on the desk of the Dutch minister, but it is something that everybody has to deal with.

“It is essential that entrepreneurs prepare for all Brexit scenarios, including no-deal.

“We have said this a lot in debates and now we are saying it with humour.”

The tweet has gone viral – and it looks like the Dutch government has succeeded in raising awareness for the Brexit Impact Scan.

Vermeij said that by mid-afternoon some 4,000 businesses had done the impact scan on Thursday alone.

Prior to the monster’s intervention, the scan had attracted about 63,000 businesses in around a year.

The scan involves taking business owners through the range of possible changes they will have to navigate depending on the terms under which Britain completes its divorce from the EU.

It gives tailored advice about new procedures likely to come into play for importers and exporters such as customs procedures, possible new tariffs and taxes and other issues.

–with wires

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