Following a meeting with Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak during his recent visit to Belfast, Logistics UK has announced its cautious optimism regarding the opportunity the Windsor Framework could provide to ease the passage of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Nichola Mallon, Head of Trade and Devolved Policy at Logistics UK comments: “While our review of the details continues, Logistics UK is pleased to note several of our proposals and pragmatic solutions – such as Green and Red Lanes, trade facilitation measures and parcel derogations – have been included within the agreement framework. While we are still communicating with members on their feedback, the initial response from those that transport goods between NI and GB has been positive.
“Logistics UK, along with several NI businesses and associations, met with the Prime Minister recently to discuss the agreement. It is encouraging to see government willing to have these important conversations with businesses in NI, and Logistics UK reinforced with Mr Sunak the need for similar communication among GB suppliers, to ensure trade opportunities running from GB to NI are maximised.
“The devil will now be in the detail, and Logistics UK looks forward to working with members to see how this operates on the ground. As these changes come into effect, there will undoubtedly be challenges that this framework could not have predicted, and Logistics UK is urging the UK government and EU to continue their constructive engagement with industry, with clear and empowered mechanisms through which businesses can flag any issues so that swift, effective solutions can be found.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Unionist Party, which has been boycotting the Stormont Executive, has not yet said whether it will support the Windsor Framework, although a decision is expected by the end of the month.
