Statement from the Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group, 6 February 2023
NI Chamber joined with 13 other business and trade bodies in encouraging reports of progress in the EU/UK Talks on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol. In a statement released yesterday, NI business representatives welcomed reports of progress and underlined the need for engagement with local stakeholders, including business. The agreed statement was as follows:
“We are encouraged by reports of progress between the EU and the UK on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol. We remain cautiously optimistic that an agreement can be found that protects and supports Northern Ireland’s businesses and households.
We would encourage both sides to engage meaningfully and directly with our local political and business stakeholders as soon as practicable. This needs to happen, as we repeatedly say, to ensure that a workable deal is done with Northern Ireland and not to Northern Ireland.
To that end we would urge the EU and the UK to deliver a lasting, inclusive settlement that:
- Protects our households: by preserving choice and affordability of goods from Great Britain for all of Northern Ireland’s consumers;
- Supports our producers to thrive: by maintaining and preserving unfettered access to GB and EU markets; and
- Is durable:
a. By removing unnecessary red tape and costs: for all goods moving between GB and Northern Ireland that do not pose any material risk to the EU’s single market;
b. By giving Northern Ireland a voice: in relation to EU and UK laws or policy impacting on NI trade; and
c. By tackling divergence: creating mechanisms to ensure Northern Ireland is supported and protected with the long term challenges of regulatory divergence.
With the right approach and vision, there is now a window of opportunity to protect all of our consumers and kick-start much needed investment.
Whilst we acknowledge that there is both a political track and a technical track, we stand ready to play our part to ensure that the technical solutions work for our businesses and households.“
