Supply of Goods EU Regulations 2025-01-15
2025-01-15
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Q1
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Context
The updated EU general product safety regulations have caused disruption to the supply of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, with businesses in GB abandoning the NI market due to new requirements. Additionally, DEFRA has banned meat imports from Germany due to a foot and mouth disease outbreak but not extended this ban to Northern Ireland under the protocol.
As a result of those EU regulations, thousands of consumers in Northern Ireland are denied goods from Great Britain, and rather than adapt, businesses in GB have simply abandoned the Northern Ireland market. At the same time, this week, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has banned the import of meat from Germany where there has been a foot and mouth disease outbreak but not extended that ban to Northern Ireland because of the Northern Ireland protocol. While the EU protects its market, the UK appears to have abandoned the internal market of its own country. What will the Minister do to redress that?
The Government are absolutely committed to ensuring a smooth flow of goods across the UK internal market. We understand that many companies have adapted easily to GPSR, while for some it is more difficult. The Secretary of State has met the Minister for business this week to discuss further guidance and assurance, and will continue to have such discussions.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific actions or timeline to address businesses' difficulties in adapting to GPSR were not provided.
Response accuracy