From October 2023, a broad range of products moving from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI) (and that are intended for “final consumption” in NI) will be processed through a “green lane” and be subject to fewer checks and controls. While this will ultimately facilitate movements of various products, there are implications for businesses in the short term.

Agreement on the Windsor Framework was reached by the UK and the EU on 27 February 2023 as a way to address some of the issues presented by the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK government has now unveiled the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS), which will allow UK public health and consumer protection standards to apply for all retail food and drink moving to NI through the scheme, while recognising that goods that are potentially not compliant with EU requirements should not be able to pass into the EU through the NI and Republic of Ireland border without checks.

From 1 September 2023, all businesses responsible for selling or facilitating the movement of food for final consumption in NI will be able to register for NIRMS.

Please click here for a link to our article setting out the background to the Windsor Framework, the scope of the new Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (which will commence on 1 October 2023) and required arrangements for registration, a General Certificate declaration by traders and labelling of products and/ or boxes/ crates.