How has the Protocol impacted Northern Ireland and GB businesses?
Tuesday 18 May
The new Lords committee on the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland will tomorrow hear from business representatives on the Protocol’s overall impact on businesses since it came into force on 1 January.
The evidence session will focus on which aspects of the operation of the Protocol are proving most challenging, how it is impacting businesses and what engagement there has been with the EU and UK since January.
This evidence session can be followed at www.parliamentlive.tv from 4.15pm tomorrow (Wednesday 19 May 2021).
Witnesses
11:15am
- Aodhán Connolly, Convenor, Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group and Director, Northern Ireland Retail Consortium
- Stuart Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, CBI Northern Ireland
- Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, Manufacturing NI
- Seamus Leheny, Northern Ireland Policy Manager, Logistics UK
Possible questions
- What is your overall assessment of the experience of businesses based both in Northern Ireland and Great Britain since the Protocol came into force on 1 January 2021?
- What aspects of the operation of the Protocol are proving most challenging?
- Which aspects of the Protocol’s operation are going most smoothly?
- How prepared have businesses based in Great Britain been for the requirements for trading with Northern Ireland under the Protocol?
- How would you characterise your engagement since January with the UK Government, Northern Ireland Executive and EU in regards the operation of the Protocol?
- What practical steps can the UK and EU take to mitigate the Protocol’s negative impact on businesses based in and trading with Northern Ireland?
Are the problems that have been encountered capable of resolution within the terms of the Protocol?
