Despite claims of minimal impact, the proposed legislation introduces significant changes to customs and trade processes.

Boris Johnson has downplayed the importance of the government’s Northern Ireland protocol bill, describing it as a “relatively trivial set of adjustments.” However, the bill includes substantial changes to the way the protocol operates, particularly in terms of customs processes for goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Currently, goods from Great Britain face checks when entering Northern Ireland, even if they are not destined for the Republic of Ireland or the EU. This has led to issues like delays, with companies such as Marks & Spencer highlighting the impact on food products’ shelf life due to bureaucratic hurdles. The proposed bill aims to address this by creating a “green channel” for goods staying within Northern Ireland, easing trade and bypassing some of the current delays.

However, goods that are heading to the Republic of Ireland or the EU will still face checks through a “red channel.” The new approach is intended to simplify trade within Northern Ireland while maintaining the integrity of the EU’s single market for goods.