International trade and business groups have given a cautious welcome to the deal between the EU and the UK over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The majority of goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will no longer need customs and regulatory checks as long as they are certified as not intended for the EU market, under the so-called Windsor Framework. In addition, some food products will have to carry a label saying “not for EU”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised that all items available in British supermarkets will also be sold in Northern Ireland, while medicines approved by the UK’s regulator will no longer be held back from the Northern Irish market.
Stormont Brake
EU laws will still apply in some industries in Northern Ireland, particularly on food and animal products.
The European Court of Justice will remain the arbiter of how it operates, but the Prime Minister secured what is being known as the “Stormont Brake”, which will allow the Northern Ireland Assembly when it finally sits again, a veto to stop any new EU legislation applying in the region.
This comes with tough conditions for its use and the possibility of the EU retaliating by suspending single-market access.
Green light for prosperity
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “The BCC has long been calling for a negotiated solution to the trading difficulties caused by the initial version of the protocol.
“Businesses in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been calling for a considerable reduction in checks and documentary requirements to move everyday goods across the Irish Sea. We will be closely considering the legal texts and their full implications, but this appears to be a positive step toward achieving this goal.”
Mr Bain added: “The Green Lane proposal should offer a green light to future prosperity in Northern Ireland.”
Commenting on the announcement, Marco Forgione, Director General of the Institute of Export & International Trade, hailed the agreement as “positive progress on post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland”.
He said: “The real-time exchange of customs information between the UK and the EU should help with this. The digitalisation of trade has a huge part to play, not only in this deal, but for the future of global trade. But the real test of the new ‘Windsor Framework’ will be when the full legal text is made available and it is scrutinised by policymakers.”
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