Members of the EU Parliament have today (Tuesday, May 9) agreed on three draft laws to implement the Windsor Framework, one of which will make it easier for agri-food products from Britain to enter Northern Ireland.
According to the EU Parliament, these “new and simplified rules and procedures” will impact certain agri-food retail goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain where the goods are destined for final consumption in Northern Ireland.
The parliament said food, seed potatoes, plants for planting and agricultural machinery are to benefit from the loosening of regulations. It was adopted with 619 votes in favour to two against and six abstentions.
The parliament drafted two other laws, relating to medicines and steel, to help in the implementation of the Windsor Framework and “address the practical challenges stemming from Brexit in Northern Ireland“.
The aim was to ensure that moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be “much simpler, benefitting both citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland”, the parliament said.
The texts now have to be formally endorsed by council. They will then be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force three days later.
Other new arrangements
New arrangements were also made relating to medicinal products for human use and steel products.
The new arrangement on medicinal products for human use will ensure that all medicines (generic and novel) will now be permanently available at the same time under the same conditions across the UK in accordance with UK rules and UK authorisation procedures only.
This was adopted with 617 votes in favour to three against and six abstentions.
Certain steel products subject to tariff rate quotas brought from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will no longer be subject to the 25% tariff linked to EU safeguard measures.
This is to “ensure these transfers are economically viable”, the parliament said. This new legislation was adopted with 617 votes in favour to two against and three abstentions.
The EU parliament said these new arrangements will ensure that Northern Ireland will continue to benefit from its unique access to the EU Single Market for goods.
“Safeguards are in place to ensure that such goods stay in Northern Ireland and are not exported to the EU,” it said.