The UK and EU will meet today regarding the legal aspects of the new trade deal for Northern Ireland – the Windsor Framework.

The deal is entering its final stages and is fully expected to become international law soon, this will likely lead to changes in processes in the coming weeks or months.

In the House of Commons Wednesday, MP’s voted 515 in favour and 29 against the agreement, after the EU had also passed key elements of the deal earlier in the week. Northern Ireland’s DUP voted against the deal, and have suggested that it still needs changes made to it. However, the UK government has stated ‘there is no renegotiating of the deal’ after discussions with the EU yesterday.

The Windsor Framework should make trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK smoother, with the below being the key elements:

• Goods from Britain destined for Northern Ireland will travel through a new “green lane”, with a separate “red lane” for goods at risk of moving on to the EU.
• Products coming into Northern Ireland through the green lane will see checks and paperwork significantly reduced, while red lane goods will still be subject to normal checks.
• A “Stormont brake” allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to raise an objection to “significantly different” new EU rules which would apply in Northern Ireland.
• Northern Ireland would also no longer have to follow certain EU rules, for example on VAT and excise for some drinks and goods.