Goods from the Republic of Ireland are now subject to new post-Brexit border controls when entering Great Britain. The new controls began on Wednesday morning as part of a long-awaited UK plan to apply more checks on EU imports. However, these changes do not apply to Irish goods going to Northern Ireland, as trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland is covered by the Windsor Framework, which means there are no new checks or controls. The UK government believes that these new controls will benefit Northern Ireland businesses and make it easier for Great Britain importers to buy goods from Northern Ireland rather than the Republic of Ireland. However, it is important to note that Republic of Ireland goods cannot simply be shipped through Northern Ireland ports to avoid the new processes, as only Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods are allowed unfettered access to Great Britain.
The government clarified that Northern Ireland goods going to Great Britain via Republic of Ireland ports will continue to have unfettered access. A spokesperson stated, Northern Ireland goods will benefit from full and unconditional unfettered access, regardless of whether they move indirectly via Ireland. This will further bolster Northern Ireland’s place within the UK’s economic union and more squarely focus the benefits of unfettered access on Northern Ireland traders.
When the UK left the EU in 2021, goods from Great Britain going to the EU were immediately subject to customs and regulatory processes applied to imports from any non-member state. However, the UK government was not fully prepared to apply controls on EU goods, resulting in delays in their introduction. Now, EU goods arriving in Great Britain require full customs processes, as well as pre-notification and official certification of some agri-food products. This will undoubtedly add a significant administrative burden to EU to Great Britain agri-food exports, and Ireland, in particular, will be heavily impacted as the UK remains its single biggest market for food exports.
While large Irish exporters are well prepared for the new arrangements, it remains unclear when Irish agri-food products will start to be physically inspected at Great Britain ports. Goods from the rest of the EU will face physical checks from April, but Irish goods will not be subject to checks any earlier than October. The government has yet to clarify how it will differentiate between Irish and Northern Irish goods arriving from Northern Ireland ports without imposing new bureaucracy on Northern Ireland businesses.
This development raises concerns for businesses and could potentially disrupt longstanding trade relationships. The Irish government is confident that significant problems can be avoided due to the preparations made by large exporters and the expectation that UK authorities will initially focus on education rather than enforcement. Nevertheless, the impact of these post-Brexit border controls on Irish trade with Great Britain remains uncertain. The protection of Irish agri-food exports and the smooth operation of supply chains will be pivotal to maintaining economic stability and success.
In conclusion, the implementation of post-Brexit rules requiring new border controls for goods from the Republic of Ireland entering Great Britain has commenced. While Irish goods going to Northern Ireland are not subject to these controls due to the Windsor Framework, the Republic of Ireland is expected to face challenges, particularly in the agri-food sector. Only time will tell how these measures will ultimately impact Irish trade and the relationships between Great Britain and both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
