As widely reported, the Government has announced details of ‘The Windsor Framework’ which has been agreed in principle by the UK and EU. When the UK left the EU the issue arose as to how the UK and EU would ensure that goods could not move via Northern Ireland and across the land border to the Republic of Ireland unless checks took place to ensure that import procedures and customs duties were accounted for and VAT rules adhered to. This also had to be done without creating a physical border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Northern Ireland Protocol was implemented with effect from 1 January 2021. However, the new rules created increased administration, uncertainty, additional costs and ultimately a disruption in trade to and through Northern Ireland. The Windsor Framework, details of which were announced on 27 February 2023, seeks to address these issues.
Source: KPMG
