Northern Ireland: Offers Tariff-Free Market Access to Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU)
Northern Ireland is a fantastic place to live, work and do business.
It is part of the United Kingdom (UK) but also shares a land border with the EU (Republic of Ireland).
Following the UK's exit from the EU, agreements made between both jurisdictions through the Withdrawal Agreement (Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework) mean Northern Ireland enjoys full market access to both GB and the EU.
This puts Northern Ireland in the highly advantageous position of being the only region in the world able to trade goods freely with both GB and EU markets.
If your business currently serves or has ambition to serve both the EU and GB, Northern Ireland's market access position offers a huge opportunity.
By establishing your business in Northern Ireland, you can become much more competitive thanks to unique tariff-free access to two of the biggest markets in the world.
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak (speaking in Northern Ireland, February 2023)
The post EU Exit position for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Protocol was part of the Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and UK agreed in October 2019, and it set out arrangements that recognised the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland.
The Protocol provided for unfettered access for qualifying goods from Northern Ireland to the GB market.
The Windsor Framework is a further set of arrangements agreed in February 2023 between the EU and the UK Governments.
Under the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland still enjoys full market access to the EU and GB, but also seamless market access with frictions removed for GB goods destined for Northern Ireland.
This is a unique opportunity for businesses already based in Northern Ireland or those planning to set up here. It lets you serve GB and EU markets and recalibrate supply chains. You can also design, develop and sell products across key industries such as Life and Health Sciences, Aerospace, Electronics and Machinery, Chemicals, Consumer and Agri-food goods.
When you combine this unique market access with Northern Ireland’s skilled workforce, competitive operating costs and business-friendly environment, it further strengthens the region’s proposition as a prime location to establish or grow a business.
Read more about Northern Ireland’s Tariff-Free Market Access to GB and the EU.
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