European Affairs Committee
Report from the Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland: Follow-up report
2nd Report of Session 2022-23 - published 27 July 2022 - HL Paper 57
Contents
Chapter 1: The political context
The Sub-Committee on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland
The Sub-Committee’s July 2021 introductory report
Subsequent political developments
The Government’s July 2021 Command Paper
The EU’s October 2021 ‘non-papers’
Developments in December 2021 and February 2022
The May 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly elections
The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and the EU’s response
Chapter 2: The economic impact of the Protocol
Distinguishing the economic impact of the Protocol from other factors
Conflicting, unclear or incomplete data
Trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Table 1: Northern Ireland trade in goods (2020)
The impact of derogations and grace periods
The Trader Support Service and Movement Assistance Scheme
Willingness of GB-based companies to supply Northern Ireland
The impact of regulatory divergence
North-South trade and trade with the EU
Flexibility and proportionality
Simplifying checks, processes and regulatory requirements
Red and green lanes/ express lane
Audited supply chains, trusted traders and facilitated movements
Continuation of the grace periods
Business support and engagement
Joint engagement with the UK and EU
Trader Support Service and Movement Assistant Scheme
Economic impact of political uncertainty
Chapter 3: The provision of medicines to Northern Ireland under the Protocol
Chapter 4: The political impact of the Protocol
Political perspectives on the Protocol
Public attitudes towards the Protocol
Attitudes towards community concerns
The impact on the power-sharing institutions
Consent and the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
Attitudes regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and the UK and EU’s responsibilities
Chapter 5: Conclusion—the need for a reset
Prioritising Northern Ireland’s interests
Summary of conclusions and recommendations
Appendix 1: List of Members and declarations of interest
Evidence is published online at https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6568/followup-inquiry-on-the-impact-of-the-protocol-on-irelandnorthern-ireland/publications/ and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020 7219 3074).
Q in footnotes refers to a question in oral evidence.