Windsor Framework: GB to NI parcel delivery scheme opens

Northern Ireland effectively remained in the EU's single market for goods post-Brexit

A trusted trader scheme for businesses sending parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland has opened for applications.

The scheme is part of the Windsor Framework, the revised Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

Under the original deal, the Northern Ireland Protocol, there was the prospect that affected parcels would need customs declarations.

That was never implemented as businesses said it would be unworkable.

After Brexit, Northern Ireland effectively remained in the EU's single market for goods.

That made it more complicated and expensive to send goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

• What is the new Northern Ireland Brexit trade deal?

The Windsor Framework aims to simplify those processes while also providing the EU with reassurance that goods will not illicitly enter its market.

As part of the framework, parcel companies will have to sign up to a new trusted trader scheme called the UK Carrier Scheme (UCS).

It will not involve customs declarations but parcel companies will have to provide information to HMRC.

New government guidance states firms applying to UCS will have to show they have a process in place to tell whether their customer's goods are being sent to a private individual, or a business.

They will also need to show their processes for collecting relevant data and passing the data on to HMRC, using a bulk data sharing system.

The UCS is due to become operational at the start of October.

It will only cover business-to-consumer parcels.

There are no new requirements for consumer-to-consumer parcels while business-to-business parcels will be covered by the UK Internal Market Scheme.