Northern Ireland businesses continue to suffer due to poor Protocol/Windsor Framework negotiations – Elliott
Northern Ireland businesses continue to suffer due to poor Protocol/Windsor Framework negotiations – Elliott
Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Elliott has highlighted the continued negative impact on Northern Ireland businesses due to emerging changes in EU regulations that create barriers in UK trade.
In a recent debate in the House of Lords on the Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment etc.) and the EU Machinery Regulation (Enforcement etc. in Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026, Lord Elliott said: “There is an increasing internal divergence between GB and Northern Ireland, which is not only a constitutional issue but is hampering businesses and the economy. The Northern Ireland economy is suffering because of it.
“I do not necessarily blame just the current Government for this issue because it goes back much further than that. We have to accept that there were very poor negotiations after Brexit that led to the protocol and the Windsor Framework. Who have been the fall people? The Northern Ireland businesses have been the main fall people, which is extremely unfortunate. We need to try to resolve the outworkings of the protocol and Windsor Framework.
“That decision has had significant consequences for many businesses so far, and this will be another one. I am sure that most businesses in Northern Ireland never thought that, after Brexit, we would be debating excavators, cranes and leaf blowers—let alone tumble dryers. For goodness’ sake: this is way beyond what any of us expected in Northern Ireland and what we expected to see as a reasonable relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“In Northern Ireland, our businesses have been the fall people for all of this. So, how are we going to resolve it? This is not going to resolve itself, because there is no assessment of the financial impact to the people of Northern Ireland and its businesses. Even though this Government have not been to blame for those negotiations, my issue is that I have not seen anything from them either that has tried to resolve the issues. I would like to see them coming forward with better, more proactive solutions that are going to help this.
“The Minister indicated that the Government are taking proactive steps to ensure that the industry is supported and complying with the new requirements. What I want to know is: what are these proactive steps? We hear so often that they are taking steps and measures. I would like some detail on that, so the businesses know exactly where they stand and what they need to do—because they do not know. For the next period of time, businesses are going to be looking around to see how they can actually comply with the regulations.
“The one other issue that I am really keen to find out is: what are the differences in the requirements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain? What are the requirements in that health and safety aspect in Northern Ireland that will be different to GB? I would have assumed that GB probably may even have a higher regulation than the European Union, or at least something similar, in health and safety standards. So, what actually are the additional aspects that are required? Unless those businesses are given that clear guidance and practical assistance, this is just going to be another burden.
"Until businesses get the clear guidance and detail they need, I fear this issue is far from being resolved—and whether it will all come out in the wash or not remains to be seen."