UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

(asked on 30th October 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is planning to take to mitigate the effect of the Border Operating Model on the supply of (a) urgent medical supplies and (b) other goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland after the transition period.


Answered by
Edward Argar Portrait
Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This question was answered on 12th November 2020

After the end of the transition period, the United Kingdom will have autonomy over the regulation of goods, including medicines. As set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol, which will take effect on 1 January 2021, Northern Ireland will continue to follow the European Union acquis for medicines. The Government has been in intensive discussion with the European Commission on how to safeguard the crucial flows of medicines and medical products into Northern Ireland from other parts of the UK from the end of the transition period.

The parties have agreed a pragmatic approach to implementation, including a one year time-limited approach to the application of the regulatory requirements for imports and the ‘safety feature’ elements of the Falsified Medicines Directive. This was set out in the UK Government statement of 5 November following the fourth meeting of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Specialised Committee. This approach gives industry the time and flexibility it needs and ensure that medicines can continue to flow to Northern Ireland. Further industry guidance on moving medicines to Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period will be published shortly.

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