Member

In all this, something else should not be lost: goods moving from the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland and staying in Northern Ireland—not moving on to Great Britain but moving from the Irish Republic into part of the United Kingdom—will not be subject to any checks, any compliance requirements or any paperwork. That is the way that the border should be in both directions between Northern Ireland and Great Britain —we are part of the same country after all. But the reason it is so for the Irish Republic and not for Northern Ireland vis-à-vis the rest of the United Kingdom is that Northern Ireland is deemed to be part, and legislated to be part, of the EU single market. It is easier and totally free to move goods and agrifood produce between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland than it is to move goods within the United Kingdom itself.