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What is the Windsor Framework?

The Windsor Framework is a legal agreement between the EU and the UK.

Agreed on 27th February 2023, it aims to restore the smooth flow of trade within the UK internal market by removing the current requirement of submitting full customs formalities for goods coming from Great Britain destined to stay in Northern Ireland.

What does this mean for you?

To simplify the trading process, the agreement creates a Green Lane and a Red Lane system for the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland:

Green Lane

Goods destined to stay in Northern Ireland will move through the Green Lane. For these goods, you will only need to provide commercial information; you will no longer have to complete full international customs formalities.

Red Lane

Goods moving on to the Republic of Ireland and/or the rest of the European Union must go through the Red Lane.

What you need to do

Immediate benefit

On 30th June 2023, the Duty Reimbursement Scheme was activated. This scheme enables you to reclaim any duty paid since 2021, provided you can supply evidence that the goods remained in Northern Ireland. Additionally, you can benefit from the new Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for various categories of steel (cats 7 & 17).