Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost implications to Northern Ireland of complying with Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 of the European Parliament and the Council of 14 June 2023 on machinery and repealing Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 73/361/EEC.

Engagement with industry stakeholders indicates that the Regulation is expected to deliver overall benefits for businesses in Northern Ireland. In particular, it preserves dual-market access to both the UK Internal Market and the EU Single Market.

The Regulation also introduces measures intended to reduce administrative burdens, including provisions enabling the use of digital documentation in place of paper documentation, which are expected to generate cost savings for businesses.

In addition, the Government is legislating to continue recognising products that meet the updated EU machinery requirements in Great Britain. This will enable many manufacturers to place the same products on the markets in Northern Ireland and Great Britain without the need for additional conformity assessment. The Government expects this approach to support the smooth flow of trade within the UK Internal Market while reducing costs and administrative burdens for businesses operating across the United Kingdom.