(1)

Article 166(3) of the Withdrawal Agreement provides that recommendations are to be made by mutual consent.

(2)

Under Article 182 of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland (‘the Protocol’) forms an integral part of that Agreement.

(3)

Article 6(2) of the Protocol envisages the establishment of specific arrangements for the movement of goods within the United Kingdom’s internal market, consistent with Northern Ireland’s position as part of the customs territory of the United Kingdom in accordance with the Protocol, where the goods are destined for final consumption or final use in Northern Ireland and where the necessary safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of the Union’s internal market and customs union in accordance with the Protocol,

In the context of the specific arrangements envisaged under Article 6(2) of the Protocol, market surveillance and enforcement tools should be used collaboratively to monitor the flow of goods and manage any risks that goods might illegally enter the Union or the United Kingdom.

Enhanced cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Union, and between the United Kingdom and Member State authorities where appropriate, should underpin those arrangements with effective market surveillance and enforcement activity. This should support monitoring and management of those arrangements without requiring any checks or controls at the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

This cooperation could encompass knowledge-sharing, information exchange, work with operators and joint activity where appropriate, in particular between authorities in Northern Ireland and in relevant Member States, to tackle illegal activity and smuggling, ensure that goods are not placed on the market which do not meet the applicable standards, and ensure enforcement and surveillance activity is prioritised based on risk and intelligence. Authorities will also ensure business and operator awareness of the market access available for goods moving between Northern Ireland and the Union, where those goods meet the applicable requirements, in accordance with the Protocol.

The United Kingdom and the Union should work constructively through the structures of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Joint Committee, to support the effective functioning of the new arrangements, in the interests of people and businesses in Northern Ireland.