Tories back ITACS campaign

ITACS (the Independent Trade Association of Computing Specialists), together with the Mac Technology Association and the PCA, met with the Honourable Adam Afriyie, Conservative MP for Windsor and David Brescia (Business Relations – Conservative Campaign Headquarters) at the House of Commons on 18 June.

Discussions revolved around both the importance of the continuing health of the independent I.T. sector to the country and ultimately the disproportionate financial burden that WEEE places on these micro-enterprises endangering their viability.

As the Conservative Party’s recently appointed sector leader for technology, media & telecoms, Afriyie is also part of a team of Conservative MPs with business backgrounds collecting the opinions of UK businesses and trade associations to help inform party policy under the Conservative business relations initiative.

Hendy Armstrong, ITACS Secretary, said: "The meeting was very constructive. We were all impressed with Adam’s extensive understanding of the I.T. industry and his immediate appreciation of the real problems that WEEE will present to our members businesses. He was happy to accept the detailed documentation backing ITACS’s claim of disproportionality for later perusal.

"I must also thank Robert Peckham, Executive Director of the MAC Technology Association, who organised the meeting. Robert’s contribution, together with the support of Keith Warburton, Chief Executive of the PCA, demonstrates that the ITACS WEEE campaign has strong backing throughout the channel".

Since the meeting, Afriyie is reported by the press to have said “The WEEE Directive is likely to impose even further burdens on smaller I.T. firms. In an economic climate where small businesses have seen their regulatory burden and tax rate increase, I am concerned that WEEE may push smaller firms out of business”.