New trade rules for Northern Ireland : Safeguarding the Union

  • Director of Customer's Success

A new deal called ‘ Safeguarding the Union’ has just been sealed to restore power-sharing and a shared vision of a stable, certain future for Northern Ireland. One where its people and businesses are able to draw on the benefits of full membership of the United Kingdom and its internal market as an indivisible part of the UK’s economic union

Background

As Northern Ireland shares a land border with an EU member state – the Republic of Ireland – Brexit has complicated trading relationships. Northern Ireland’s Brexit deal, the Windsor Framework, keeps it inside the EU’s single market for goods.

That prevented a post-Brexit trade border from having to be erected between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It meant the introduction of checks and controls at Northern Ireland’s ports on goods imported from GB – creating a trade border in the Irish Sea.

Given these challenges, the DUP had demanded changes to the way Northern Ireland trades with Great Britain to ease its concerns over post-Brexit rules and the Irish Sea border.

What’s the scoop on the “Safeguarding the Union” plan?

The “Safeguarding the Union” plan was published yesterday, addressing concerns over post-Brexit trade and Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom. The 76-page agreement lays out several new measures aimed at simplifying domestic imports and encouraging trade between GB and NI.

Entitled Safeguarding the Union, the command paper was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State, Chris Heaton-Harris.

The deal comprises two main elements:

  • Changes to the Internal Market Act/Windsor Framework
  • Measures relating to Northern Ireland’s constitutional status

It guarantees the smooth flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and therefore promises a seamless flow of goods within the UK internal market. Under the proposals, there will be no checks when goods move within the UK internal market system.

It also guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods to the rest of the UK on a permanent basis. This legislation stops the automatic adoption of EU law, affirming Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.

It proposes a new UK East-West Council to examine UK-wide business opportunities and challenges. That, in turn, will be overseen by a new public body, InterTrade UK, which aims to boost business opportunities and facilitate trade within the UK.

How Will Updated Irish Sea Border Checks Affect Your Business?

The government is streamlining checks and paperwork for goods moving from the rest of the UK into Northern Ireland. This means no more “routine” checks on GB goods intended to stay in Northern Ireland. These changes maximise flexibility under a previous EU/UK deal.

The UK government is also taking steps to ensure a smooth process for Northern Ireland goods to be sold in GB, emphasising a friendly and cooperative approach. The UK government is introducing pieces of legislation to ensure that Northern Ireland goods can be sold in GB in all circumstances and to affirm Northern Ireland’s cherished place in the UK.

What of ‘Not available in Northern Ireland’?

The DUP deal includes the establishment of a new body, Intertrade UK, to promote trade within the UK.

InterTrade UK’s role is to offer guidance to enhance trade between the UK’s regions, addressing challenges like the ‘Not available in Northern Ireland’ problem, a common concern for online shoppers trying to purchase goods from different parts of the UK. This deal aims to make shopping more convenient for everyone.

Read the policy paper

Want to stay ahead of the curve? Explore iCustoms.ai’s AI-powered platform to optimise your customs and trade processes

Explore more Or Watch a Demo Now!

icustoms Revolutionising Trade Compliance with AI

An all-in-one solution designed to streamline all customs procedures to save you time and costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Safeguarding the Union command paper and what does it cover?

Safeguarding the Union is a 76-page command paper presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. It sets out measures to restore smooth trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, affirm NI's place in the UK internal market, stop the automatic adoption of EU law in NI, and establish new institutions including InterTrade UK and a UK East-West Council.

Why did Northern Ireland need new trade rules after Brexit?

Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state. To avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland remained inside the EU single market for goods under the Windsor Framework. This created checks on goods entering NI from Great Britain, forming an Irish Sea trade border that the DUP and others argued undermined NI's place within the UK internal market.

What changes does Safeguarding the Union make to Irish Sea border checks?

The deal streamlines checks and paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Under the new arrangements, there are no routine checks on GB goods intended to stay in Northern Ireland within the UK Internal Market System. This removes a significant source of friction and cost for businesses that move goods between the two parts of the UK for domestic sale and consumption.

What is InterTrade UK and what role does it play in GB-NI trade?

InterTrade UK is a new public body established under the Safeguarding the Union agreement to promote and facilitate trade between the UK's regions. Its role includes providing guidance on cross-regional trade, addressing barriers such as the 'Not available in Northern Ireland' problem faced by online shoppers, and identifying UK-wide business opportunities in coordination with the new UK East-West Council.

What is the 'Not available in Northern Ireland' problem and how does the deal address it?

The 'Not available in Northern Ireland' message occurs when online retailers restrict sales to NI customers due to regulatory complexity arising from the post-Brexit trade rules. InterTrade UK's mandate includes tackling this issue by providing guidance to businesses and helping remove the practical barriers that prevent NI consumers from purchasing goods available elsewhere in the UK.

Does the Safeguarding the Union deal guarantee unfettered access for NI goods to the rest of the UK?

Yes. The deal guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods to the rest of the UK on a permanent basis. New legislation ensures NI goods can be sold in Great Britain in all circumstances, removing uncertainty for NI businesses that export to the rest of the UK. This legislative guarantee affirms NI's status as an integral part of the UK's economic union.

How does the deal affect the automatic adoption of EU law in Northern Ireland?

Under the original Northern Ireland Protocol, EU law applied automatically in NI in areas related to the single market for goods. The Safeguarding the Union deal introduces legislation that stops this automatic adoption of EU law, giving NI and the UK government greater control over which rules apply. This change is intended to reduce the regulatory divergence between NI and the rest of the UK.

You may also like:

Subscribe to our Newsletter

About iCustoms

iCustoms is an all-in-one solution helping businesses automate customs processes more efficiently. With AI-powered and machine-learning capabilities, iCustoms is designed to streamline your all customs procedures in a few minutes, cut additional costs and save time.
Start Now

Industries

Products