Businesses prepare to adapt as Windsor Framework takes effect from Sunday

On Sunday the Windsor Framework begins to takes effect.

It means businesses bringing goods into Northern Ireland will follow new rules.

There will be virtual green and red lanes for goods.

Products which will stay and be sold in Northern Ireland will be declared under the ‘green lane’ rules. Products which will travel over the border, destined for the Republic, will need to declare under the terms of the ‘red lane’.

Both the UK Government and the EU insist the arrangements, agreed by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in February, will reduce paperwork and checks for companies bringing goods into Northern Ireland.

Businesses have of course been here before. They prepared for the Northern Ireland Protocol, but the full force of those arrangements were never really felt because of ‘grace periods’ which gave firms time to prepare.

Businesses say they are ready for the Windsor Framework.

Andrew Lynas from Lynas Food Service in Coleraine said: "The food service industry has been right at the frontline of this, alongside probably retail.

"The 'green lane' really helps with those big retailers because all of their goods are staying in Northern Ireland, but because 30% of my business is in the Republic of Ireland I have to deal with the reality of the red lane and the paperwork and the veterinary certificates and all those things, but we're pragmatic here in the Northern Ireland business community.

"It is what it is, and we now have to move forward."

However, firms and retailers have expressed frustration about the late arrival of government guidance for the operation of the framework.  

Guidance was still being issued in September, and the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium has said there have been discussions just this week to try to resolve some issues for supermarkets.

Neil Thompson from the NI Retail Consortium said: "None of this is easy and I think we still have some outstanding concerns and just see how it all beds down really.

"I think we are relatively confident, not that we can resolve everything and there may be issues we find are just too difficult, but the understanding now is this is coming in on the 1st October but that there won't be rigorous enforcement."

New ‘Not for EU’ labels are also appearing on food products and on supermarket shelves.  These are part of the agreement with the EU to prevent products arriving into Northern Ireland and then being sold across the border unchecked.

There is a new Plant Health Label scheme too, a system which the EU and UK say will allow a greater variety of plants and potato seeds to come into Northern Ireland.

The 1st October marks just the start of the implementation of the Windsor Framework.  

Arrangements for medicines and parcels will be phased by 2025.

The understanding is that every effort is being made behind the scenes to ensure the start of the new rules will run smoothly.  Neither the UK Government nor the EU want any delays for lorries at ports or empty shelves in supermarkets.

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