The Government has today issued a statement on the Windsor Framework which comes into force for movement of parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland from 30 September 2024.  The Government is consulting with trade partners on implementation of the Windsor Framework.  The parcels waiver will stay in place until 30 September 2024 and until this time there will be no change in requirements for movement of goods to Northern Ireland.   Members of AICES will become “authorised carriers” under the new arrangements.

As it says in the statement in respect to parcels: “businesses do not need to take any further steps at this point with respect to new the arrangements. Further guidance will be set out by 30 September 2023” and “HMRC is engaging intensively with parcel carriers to ensure a smooth transition for the implementation of the new parcels arrangements , including further guidance on the steps they need to take. At this point, no further action by businesses is required.”

If customers are aware that they move B2B goods to Northern Ireland businesses we would recommend that when contacted by HMRC from October 2023 they join the new UK Internal Market Scheme. Customers’ membership of the UK Internal Market Scheme post October 1 2024 will mean that goods moved by express operators can be transported in the ‘green lane’ which simplifies processes and therefore costs.

The Government has stated that: “UKIMS authorisation will be necessary only for business-to-business parcel movements, and the new Windsor Framework parcels arrangements are not due to be in place until 30 September 2024. Therefore there are no immediate steps that businesses need to take. HMRC will engage with businesses that move business-to-business parcels in due course, with engagement expected to begin in October 2023. Any businesses sending goods only to consumers do not need to be registered for the UK Internal Market Scheme”

Express customers that also move freight to Northern Ireland and are currently authorised under the UK Trader Scheme (UKTS) will be contacted by HMRC to take the additional steps necessary to move onto the UKIMS scheme by October 2023.