European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill — New Clause 55 — Northern Ireland’s Place in the UK Internal Market — 8 Jan 2020 at 14:38

The majority of MPs voted not to require the publication of an annual assessment of impacts on businesses and consumers arising from the Protocol on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and not to protect the place of Northern Ireland businesses and consumers in the UK internal market.

MPs were considering the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.^[1]

The proposed new clause rejected in this vote was titled: Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and stated:

• “(1) As part of its obligation under Article 6.2 of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland to use its best endeavours to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK, the UK Government must—
• (a) publish an assessment at least every 12 months of any negative impacts on businesses and consumers arising from the Protocol on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and vice versa; and
• (b) develop mitigations to safeguard the place of Northern Ireland businesses and consumers in the UK internal market.
• (2) The assessment published under paragraph (1)(a) must include assessment of the impact of any actual or proposed regulatory or trade policy divergence on Northern Ireland’s place in the UK Internal Market.
• (3) Any official or administrative costs arising from the duties under subsections (1) and (2) may not be recouped from the private sector.
• [1] Parliament's webpage on the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill. Parliament.uk website

Debate in Parliament |