The UK will give British supermarket companies operating in Northern Ireland more time to adjust to the new rules brought about by Brexit. Northern Ireland Minister Brandon Lewis said in Parliament that there is a plan underway to simplify this.
A trade agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom has been in effect since the beginning of this year. The two markets are still exchanging goods, but they have their own standards for food and other products.
However, there are problems in Northern Ireland. The constituent country has not been a member of the European Union since Brexit, but due to its location on a European island, it is part of the European Customs Union. This means that the country must comply with European rules regarding food safety, among other things.
This is a good job for British supermarket companies who also have stores in Northern Ireland. Companies have to go through a lot of paperwork to be able to sell products in the country. British and European negotiators have been discussing a solution to this problem for some time. Some sources fear that Northern Ireland will eventually separate from the European Union altogether.
But before those talks end, the UK wants to absorb the supermarket companies. “We are taking a number of interim measures that show that more time is needed to adapt and introduce new rules,” Lewis told Parliament on Wednesday. He also announced that a plan would be announced at a later time. This plan contains more details about preventing any additional taxes.
