Brexit and Beyond

15 December 2025

This week, we take an in-depth look at the Assembly debate on Observer Status in the European Parliament, which includes reports and commentary in the local media.  

In our final Assembly Round-up for 2025, we cover questions to The Executive Office, as well as an update on discussions at last Thursday’s Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee meeting.   

Our new ‘Parliamentary Planner’ section highlights upcoming debates and discussion topics at other legislatures this week.  

The Assembly is in recess until Monday 12 January when we will return with the next edition of ‘Brexit and Beyond’. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  

 

 Assembly Debate on Observer Status in the European Parliament:  

image shows Ciara Ferguson MLA in the Assembly Chamber, opening the debate on Observer Status in the European Parliament: 

On Monday 8 December, Assembly Members debated a Private Members’ Motion on ‘Observer Status in the European Parliament’. Opening the debate, Ciara Ferguson MLA told Members that: “EU observer status enables a formal but limited form of voice and participation in Europe that includes attendance at plenary sessions and the strengthening of lines of communication. It is a practical and constructive step that we can take to strengthen our voice on the European stage.” 

Moving the amendment, the Leader of the Opposition, Matthew O’Toole MLA said: “We are looking for practical solutions to improve things for people in the here and now, and that could include EU observer status in the European Parliament and, yes, a European Commission office in Belfast. In the future, I want us to be back in the European Union, and there is no reason why we cannot have better representation and accountability in the here and now.” 

Stewart Dickson MLA noted that Observer status is reserved for countries in the accession process and has never been offered to a region or third country. He told Members that: “If we are serious about addressing the democratic deficit, we need to walk through the doors that are already open to us and work to widen them.” He suggested that this could be achieved through the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA), adding: “Let us get the Windsor framework properly on the PPA's agenda. That would give us a regular, structured opportunity to raise concerns directly with MEPs at the stage when influence is still possible…” 

Opposing the motion, John Burrows MLA said that it [the motion] was: “…divisive, negative, fails to learn the lessons of Brexit or our past and wastes time dealing with matters that we have no authority over.” Meanwhile, Timothy Gaston MLA told Members that: “The idea that the solution to Northern Ireland's problems and to the democratic deficit is somehow more EU involvement, more EU buildings or EU observer roles is frankly nonsense.”  

Petition of Concern:  

Prior to the debate, the Assembly Speaker told Members that: “…a valid petition of concern has been presented today in relation to the motion. The debate can still proceed, as can the vote on the amendment, which has not been petitioned and, therefore, requires a simple majority. However, the vote on the motion, whether it is amended or not, will not be taken today, as section 42 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires that there must now be a 14-day consideration period. The consideration period for this petition ends on 21 December 2025.” 

The Speaker continued: “Following that, on 22 December, only the petition may be confirmed. If the petition is confirmed by 30 Members on that day, the vote on the motion, whether or not amended, will require cross-community support. If it is not confirmed by 30 Members, the vote will require simple majority support. In either case, the vote will not take place until a date after 22 December.” 

The Assembly voted on the Amendment, 42 Ayes in support of the amendment against 33 Noes.  

The debate was widely covered and commented on in the local media. The Belfast Telegraph quoted the DUP Leader Gavin Robinson MP as saying: "It is right, and fully in line with the Belfast and St Andrew’s Agreements, that such a significant issue cannot be pushed through on a one-sided majority.” The Belfast Telegraph article also highlighted a quote from the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Matthew O’Toole MLA: “…a majority of this House have now given their clear view of the need for a European Commission office in Belfast.”  He added: "The public will draw their own conclusions about what this House supports." You can watch the debate in full here:  

Meanwhile in an opinion piece in The Irish Times on Thursday, 11 December, political commentator Newton Emerson argued that the: “Real loser in row over EU observer status for Northern Ireland is the centre ground.” 

 

 

 Assembly Round-up:  

photograph of Parliament Buildings taken from the bottom of the front steps.

Questions to The Executive Office:  

EU observer status was raised again during questions to the Executive Office on Monday.  

image shows the deputy First Minister, Emma Little Pengelly MLA responding to questions in the Assembly Chamber.

Linda Dillon MLA asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister whether they “…accept that it is entirely inappropriate to use the petition of concern mechanism, which is intended to protect minorities, in respect of a motion that calls for increased democratic representation through having observer status in the European Parliament?” 

 In response, the deputy First Minister, Emma Little Pengelly MLA, said: “From the point of view of a power-sharing Executive in a place where we are all here by consensus — we agreed on the terms of Executive formation and Assembly restoration — we need to be clear that, where there is no community consensus, the petition of concern is the mechanism to very clearly demonstrate that, and, on this issue, there is no community consensus.”  

Responding to a question on why the Executive has still not agreed an international relations strategy, Ms. Pengelly noted that: “… a number of significant global issues have been happening” and Ministers had asked the International Relations team to fully consider those issues: “…particularly how we engage on tariffs and the evolving nature of the UK-EU discussions on the substantive trade deal.” The deputy First Minister added that: “We want to make sure that what we come out with is fit for purpose and takes into account not just the way that we have done things in the past but the challenges that we have seen evolving over the past 12 months.” 

 

The Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC) took oral briefings from Department for the Economy and Department of Justice officials on Regulation (EU) 2025/2439, amending Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 as regards dates of application and transitional provisions. This regulation postpones key deadlines for new chemical labelling rules to 1 January 2028. It is part of a simplification package, which includes a proposed Regulation amending Regulations (EC) No 1272/2008, (EC) No 1223/2009 and (EU) 2019/1009 as regards simplification of certain requirements and procedures for chemical products. This proposal would ultimately remove the requirements.  

Following the evidence session, DSC Committee Member, Steve Aiken MLA asked once the regulation goes through, how different it would be from legislation in Scotland, Wales and England. Mark McGregor from the Department for the Economy responded that: “The effect here will be to retain the parity with those areas in Great Britain… this is not creating a divergence.” He explained that the effect of the legislative package would be to disapply the upcoming changes. The Committee agreed that based on legal advice and the Departmental assessment, it would not hold an inquiry into the replacement EU act.   

Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs also briefed the Committee on a Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards certain obligations of operators and traders. This amends the EU Deforestation Regulation by simplifying obligations for operators and traders, particularly focusing on reduced reporting for micro/small businesses and downstream players. It would delay implementation until late 2026, while maintaining the goal of preventing deforestation-linked products from entering the EU market. 

Members agreed that it would invite the Chief Veterinary Officer to attend a future Committee meeting to provide further clarity on the regulation. The Committee further agreed that it would monitor the progress of this proposed EU act.   

You can watch Thursday’s meeting in full here  and catch-up on all Assembly debates and Committee meetings live or via catch-up here:   

 

 Westminster Brief:  

external image of Westminster taking at night

Ten Minute Rule Motion: UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate): 

On Tuesday, in the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat MP, Dr Al Pinkerton moved a motion: That leave be given to bring in a Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to enter into negotiations with the European Union to agree a customs union between the United Kingdom and the European Union; and for connected purposes. 

The question was put to the House, resulting in 100 Ayes and 100 Noes upon division.  The Deputy Speaker, Caroline Noakes, told MPs that: “In accordance with precedent, I will cast the casting vote Aye, to allow further debate. The Ayes have it, the Ayes have it.” 

Dr Al Pinkerton presented the Bill which was read for the First Time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 January 2026. You can view the voting results here  and watch the debate (starts at 14:33:24) in full here:  

Questions to HM Treasury:  

In the House of Commons on Tuesday, 9 December, HM Treasury responded to a question on what assessment has been made of the potential impact of leaving the EU on economic growth. Responding, the Chancellor told MPs that: “The Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that productivity will be 4% lower than it would have been had the UK not withdrawn from the EU”.  

The Chancellor went on to state in response to a supplementary question that: “Since we came to office last year, we have reset our relationship with the EU, which is why last May we agreed with the EU an expansive set of changes to our relationship, including on food and farming, on electricity and energy trading, and on youth mobility and Erasmus.” She added that at the same time, [the UK Government] was taking opportunities: “…  to trade more with fast-growing economies around the world, including India, and we also got the first, and the best, trade deal that anybody has secured with the US.” 

 

 Parliamentary Planner:  

image shows arms resting on a desk while typing on a laptop keyboard. There is a planner/diary to the right of the image.

EU and Brexit related issues remain on other parliamentary agendas for the coming week.  

The Ministry of Defence is expected to respond to questions in the House of Commons on Monday regarding what discussions the Minister has had with NATO counterparts on European security and on whether it is his policy to seek UK participation in the Security Action for Europe instrument.  

During portfolio questions in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands will be asked to provide an update on discussions with the UK Government regarding the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund allocations. Meanwhile, during plenary on Thursday, 17 December, MEPs will debate a Private Members’ Business Motion on ‘Fairer Funding Allocation for Scotland's Fishing and Coastal Communities’.  

In Senedd Cymru on Wednesday, Plaid Cymru will hold a debate on ‘The Devolution Settlement’.  

In the European Parliament today, the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety will vote on the provisional agreement resulting from interinstitutional negotiations re: Amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards certain obligations of operators and traders (the ‘EU Deforestation-free Regulation’). The proposal was discussed further at the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC) meeting as covered earlier in our Assembly Round-up. The Council of the EU and European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the proposal on Thursday, 4 December.  

 

 In case you missed it…. 

image of a magnefying glass over a dictionary page with the word news magnified.

  • The Trader Support Service published a new bulletin on 4 December.  

  • Joël Reland explains what a customs union would mean in practice in an article for UK in a Changing Europe blog on 10 December, and asks: ‘Is a customs union worth it?’ 

  • The third UK-EU Cyber Dialogue took place on Tuesday 9 December and Wednesday 10 December in Brussels, you can find out more here: