Impacts of moving goods under the Northern Ireland Protocol

Brexit pulse alert: respond to the business impacts of Brexit

10 August, 2020

Brexit development

On 07 August, the UK Government released a policy paper providing more information on the Northern Ireland Protocol that will take effect at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.

Top Brexit impacts

Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, the UK Government will ensure that:

• Moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain should take place as it does now – there will be no additional process, paperwork or restrictions on NI goods moving to GB, delivering unfettered access. This will apply to NI businesses only and there will be a qualifying status to distinguish these businesses, details to be set out in due course.

• Changes for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be kept to an absolute minimum - with a new Trader Support Service (TSS), available to all traders at no cost, to be established to provide wraparound support, alongside guidance on the processes for food and agricultural products designed to uphold the longstanding status of the island of Ireland as a single epidemiological unit.
  

Actions for business

The UK Government has committed to providing extensive support for businesses engaging in the new processes.

• Businesses should consider registering with the Government’s new Trade Service Support - this will provide an end-to-end service which will guide traders through all import processes, including handling digital import and safety and security declarations on their behalf, at no additional cost.
• There will be some new administrative process for traders, notably new electronic import declaration requirements, and safety and security information, for goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. If traders do not register for the TSS, they will need to make their own arrangements to deal with these processes.
• The TSS will not cover food and agricultural products which will face new documentary requirements and sanitary and phytosanitary checks. Any traders moving these products should begin making arrangements immediately.
  

To discuss specific support with your Brexit preparations based on this latest development contact: Deloitte Brexit Insight