Brexit: 'Clarity needed' on GB-NI drugs supply after 2020

From 1 January, medicines in NI will still be governed by EU rules but manufacturers in GB want clarity about which rules they will have to follow

A trade body that represents firms making vital medicines has called for a phasing-in period to secure the supply of drugs to NI after the end of 2020.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said it has had no clear guidance on how medicines can move GB-NI once the Brexit extension period ends.

From 1 January, medicines in NI will still be governed by EU rules.

But GB manufacturers say it is unclear what rules they will have to follow.

The chief executive of the ABPI, Richard Torbett, told a Westminster committee that he had concerns that without further clarity, the vital drug supply route across the Irish Sea could face disruption.

"Northern Ireland is the most complicated situation for us right now and there are a number of reasons why, much pharmaceutical product goes to Northern Ireland via Great Britain," he told the committee.

'Important framework'

"In turn much of that is imported through the EU, so in a number of ways when it comes to importation rules, it's not clear what checks are required to go through.

"It's an important framework - there are guards against falsified barcodes, there's tamper evidence put onto packaging data associated with barcodes all connected up with the EU system, how that will work in Northern Ireland is completely unclear."

On Monday, the third meeting of a joint UK-EU committee focused on working out how the NI Protocol will be implemented took place.

The Protocol will take effect on 1 January 2020 and will see NI treated differently than the rest of the UK, as products entering NI from GB will be subject to new checks and controls - the so-called Irish Sea border.

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However, the precise nature of these checks still remains to be agreed by the EU and UK and are being negotiated in parallel with the trade talks, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants concluded by the next European Council meeting on 15 October.

The last series of talks ended in acrimony after the British government published contentious legislation to override part of the original Brexit agreement relating to Northern Ireland - the Internal Market Bill.

Downing Street insists it remains a safety net if agreement cannot be worked out through the joint committee, but some of NI's political parties accused the British government of reneging on previous commitments.

Earlier this week, the EU said the "window of opportunity" to resolve how to implement the NI part of the Brexit deal is rapidly closing.

Meanwhile, some MLAs have expressed concern about the extent of contingency planning by Stormont officials, in the event that the UK and EU do not reach a trade deal.

The Internal Markets Bill would override the NI Protocol - the part of the Brexit deal relating to NI

Dr Andrew McCormick, a civil servant in charge of Stormont's Brexit preparations appeared before the Executive Office committee on Wednesday.

He was asked by MLAs about what preparations were being made for a non-negotiated outcome.

'Better than rushing'

Dr McCormick said a working group of representatives from different departments had been meeting since last month, but that overall planning would depend on the outcome of the UK-EU negotiations.

Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie questioned whether there was a lack of "joined-up thinking" so close to the deadline, while Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson said it was better to have contingency plans in place, even if they are not needed.

"There are fundamental aspects genuinely not resolved, to say business should do this and not that," said Dr McCormick.

"It is still better than rushing to implement and plan for a worse outcome than may be delivered."

The senior civil servant said the Irish government had also been engaging with the NI Executive about no-trade deal planning.

"While they were in government formation mode things moved more slowly but that's picking up," he added.

"There's been good contact on transport, but there is absolutely definitely more to be done."

Also on Wednesday, the government also faced pressure in the Commons over the lack of guidance provided to Northern Ireland businesses about how the NI Protocol would work.

Shadow NI Secretary Louise Haigh said a coalition of business groups was still waiting for answers to "60 out of 67 questions they put to the government in the summer".

But the NI Secretary Brandon Lewis defended the government's plans and insisted he was in regular communication with local firms.