June 23, 2018. Leading Brexit supporters are talking tough, and opponents are taking to the streets, on the second anniversary of Britain's vote to leave the European Union. Saturday marks two years since a June 23, 2016 referendum resulted in a decision to quit the 28-nation EU. (John Stillwell/PA via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Britain passed a Brexit hurdle as its flagship European Union Withdrawal Bill became law Tuesday. But the government faced a new warning from business that uncertainty about the U.K.’s departure from the EU was putting investment and jobs at risk.

Pro-Brexit lawmakers in the House of Commons cheered as Speaker John Bercow announced that the European Union Withdrawal Bill had received royal assent. The bill was passed by Parliament last week and officially became law withbloc.

With nine months to go until Britain leaves the EU on March 29, 2019, businesses say uncertainty about the divorce terms is starting to hurt the economy.

On Tuesday, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said investment in auto production fell by almost half in the last year. It was 347 million pounds ($460 million) in the first half of 2018, down from 647 million pounds during the same period a year earlier.

Chief Executive Mike Hawes said the British government’s insistence that the U.K. will leave the EU’s tariff-free single market and customs union “goes directly against the interests of the U.K. automotive sector, which has thrived on single market and customs union membership.”

“Our message to government is that until it can demonstrate exactly how a new model