Committees

Unfettered Access: Northern Ireland and customs arrangements after Brexit

Inquiry

In this inquiry the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will scrutinise customs arrangements for goods moving in both directions between Northern Ireland and Great Britain under the revised Northern Ireland Protocol. This includes import-export requirements and customs checks, processes and declarations.

 

Terms of reference

The Committee would welcome the submission of written evidence that addresses:

  • whether the revised Northern Ireland Protocol will allow goods produced in Northern Ireland unfettered access to the rest of the UK internal market;
  • what customs checks, processes, declarations and infrastructure improvements will need to be implemented under the revised Protocol by (a) businesses and (b) customs authorities in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Britain in order to export goods from (A) Northern Ireland to Britain and (B) Britain to Northern Ireland;
  • whether the UK has sufficient (a) customs agents, (b) customs officials and (c) veterinarians to facilitate the new customs arrangements;
  • what effect the new customs arrangements will have on the (a) volume and (b) profitability of (i) West-East and (ii) East-West trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain;
  • what potential economic effects the revised Protocol will have on Northern Ireland; and
  • other issues and challenges arising from the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.