Post-Brexit Trade Agreements Extended For 4 More Years

The Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont have now extended the post-Brexit trade agreements for another 4 years. The Windsor Framework is here to stay for now, however Westminster is going to commission an independent review into the arrangements to see if there is a way to improve trading conditions for all parties concerned.

The review will be consulting many interested parties including businesses, civil society groups and industry representative bodies, to ensure they get a wide and expert range of opinions. To find a solution that will be welcomed by everyone is virtually an impossible task, but it is important to work hard to try and improve any trade agreements that are in place to help make trade between borders as smooth as possible.

Benefits & Challenges

Here are some interesting observations from an article on the Fleetpoint website about the current regulations:

‘The Economic Impact of Extending Trade Arrangements

‘Benefits for Businesses

‘Extending the existing trade arrangements provides stability, a critical factor for businesses navigating a post-Brexit landscape. Companies benefit from:

• Access to Dual Markets: Northern Ireland retains unique access to both the UK internal market and the EU single market, offering unparalleled opportunities for exporters.
• Streamlined Customs Processes: Simplified checks reduce delays and costs for goods moving across the Irish Sea.

‘This dual access has proven advantageous for industries such as manufacturing and agrifood, which rely heavily on cross-border trade and integrated supply chains.

‘Challenges for SMEs

‘Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to face challenges with compliance and documentation. While the Windsor Framework has alleviated some administrative burdens, the extended arrangements require SMEs to adapt to evolving regulations to remain competitive.’

In the same article RHA Director Richard Smith is quoted as saying:

“Road freight is critical to successful trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and an efficient GB-NI supply chain is crucial to our economy. There however remains much concern in our industry about some of the administrative hurdles and delays businesses face when trading GB-NI or NI-GB.

“We’ll continue to be a voice for our members and seek clarity on their behalf by engaging with the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. We want to work collaboratively with decision-makers to minimise the impact of regulations, and to find durable solutions which will maintain supply chains and protect the free circulation of goods throughout the UK.

“On behalf of our sector, we look forward to contributing our views on the way ahead when the independent review of the Windsor Framework is established.”