Brexit and Beyond

10 November 2025

Today marks the 193rd edition of ‘Brexit and Beyond’ and as we move towards the ‘Big 200 Mark’, we want to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation and a very sincere thanks to all of our subscribers! To ensure that we’re bringing you relevant and helpful information, we’d be grateful if you could take a few minutes to respond to our short ‘Brexit and Beyond Newsletter survey’.  The survey will remain open until 5pm on Monday, 24 November and your response will be invaluable in helping us to shape the content and format of future newsletters so that they better meet your needs and interests.  

In this week’s edition, we provide an overview of the Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Report which was published on Wednesday 5 November.  

We also keep you up to date with all EU and Brexit related discussions in the Assembly last week, including Lord Murphy’s evidence to the Economy Committee on his recent Independent Review of the Windsor Framework.   

This week, we’re also introducing our ‘Parliamentary Planner’ section which we hope will keep you updated and abreast of any relevant EU and Brexit related issues and discussions across other legislatures and the European Parliament.  As always, we link through to some of the recent news stories and items of interest you may have missed. 

 Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Report Published 

On Wednesday 5 November, the Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Panel, set up to examine the framework agreement between the UK and European Union, published its first report, covering the period 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025.    

The report found that: “The overall result for the six-month period is that 96% of the value of goods moved under freight did so within the Internal Market system. The UK Government’s Internal Market Guarantee of 80% has therefore been met for this period.” 

The panel noted that in discussion with stakeholders: “…there was a clear sense that the current Windsor Framework guidance made available online by public authorities, including a range of Government bodies, is not fit for purpose.” Further feedback from stakeholders included concerns around:  

  • Changes to the arrangements for the movement of goods under the Windsor framework are poorly communicated to business by the UK Government. 
  • Particular tariff challenges with moving goods designated as ‘at risk’ of moving into the EU to Northern Ireland, such as those moving for the purposes of processing. 
  • Some stakeholders attributed an element of [the continued growth of the NI economy] to dual market access. However, it was suggested that this dual market access could be promoted more by the UK Government if it were to be more widely availed of by businesses as a benefit. 
  • Concerns from key business leaders and bodies that products were being delisted in Northern Ireland through GB traders choosing not to supply Northern Ireland. 

The report made three key recommendations arising from the findings of the panel’s stakeholder engagement:  

  • Business friendly guidance: “It is the Panel’s view that in its current format, this guidance is not fit for purpose. It is poorly presented, unwieldy and needs to be significantly improved to ensure that businesses can easily access the information that they need.”  
  • Refreshed promotion of existing business support services: “The Panel would encourage the wider promotion of [business support] services specifically directed towards micro and small businesses and would ask the UK Government to consider private sector best practice for doing so. The Panel considers that the shortly to be announced procurement contract for the next phase of [the Trader Support Service] could be an opportunity to build momentum on this focus.”  
  • Better UK Government communications on changing Windsor Framework regulations: “A consistent theme from our stakeholder engagement is that some businesses cannot keep up with the pace of regulatory changes or are unaware of regulatory changes. The Panel considers that clear and timely guidance is essential for businesses, particularly for new major EU legislation that may apply in Northern Ireland through the Windsor Framework (such as EUDR and EU CBAM).”  

The full report can be accessed here:  

 Assembly Round-up  

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

On Monday, during Question Time, the Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt MLA responded to a question seeking clarification on equality of access to clinical trials for patients in Northern Ireland. Stewart Dickson MLA pressed the Minister on what he described as the confusion brought about by the Health Department regarding the blockage of clinical trials here due to EU rules.  

The Minister said that a UK-wide body, the ‘Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’ (MHRA) [in relation to a specific trial to detect Barrett’s oesophagus]  had: “…originally gave an opinion that we had to conform to specific EU regulations — the EU in vitro diagnostic regulatory conditions — and that therefore we could not proceed with the trial.” He noted that it had since reviewed the original analysis and that: “…we are good to go as long as we have the right governance structures locally through the Belfast Trust.”  

In response to a follow-up question from David Brooks MLA which sought assurancesthat EU regulations will not be a barrier for patients in the future, the Minister noted that he could give no assurances, adding that: “… we came out of Europe without thinking through the consequences, and, sadly, some of the consequences impact on health and social care delivery.” 

On Tuesday during Members’ Statements, Stewart Dickson MLA called on the Assembly to mark the 75th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights. Mr Dickson highlighted the Convention’s role: “…in safeguarding fundamental freedoms and its critical importance for maintaining justice and democracy not just in Northern Ireland but across the 46 member states of the Council of Europe.” 

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs was in the Assembly Chamber on Tuesday to make a statement on the Independent Review of Environmental Governance in Northern Ireland. The Independent Panel was appointed by the Minister in November 2024 and following an extensive call for evidence in January 2025, it published its final report on 21 October 2025.  

Updating the Assembly on the Local Growth fund during Question Time on Tuesday, the Minister for Finance, John O’Dowd MLA said that during a recent meeting with the Secretary of State, he had: “… reiterated the urgency of the issue and stressed the need for resource — not capital — funding to tackle economic inactivity…” which he  noted was a key barrier to economic growth. He added that he had also: “… highlighted the risks, particularly to the community and voluntary sector, of further delay.” The Minister said that following a recent trilateral meeting with the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, and Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, they had agreed to: “…an intensive period of trilateral working at official level to urgently develop a way forward.”  

As always you can keep up to date with all plenary and Committee meetings in the Assembly either live or via catch-up on https://niassembly.tv/  

 Lord Murphy briefs the Economy Committee on his ‘Independent Review of the Windsor Framework’  Lord Murphy seated in a Committee room in Parliament Buildings as he gives evidence to the Economy Committee.

Lord Murphy of Torfaen appeared before the Assembly’s Economy Committee last Wednesday to brief Members on his recent ‘Independent Review of the Windsor Framework’.  

In a similar vein to the evidence he provided to theNorthern Ireland Affairs Committee, Lord Murphy reiterated that there was no question that framework rules had created an issue in Northern Ireland around the “democratic deficit.” He told the Committee that: “The decision to leave the European Union, whatever your views for or against, meant that people didn’t actually think enough about Northern Ireland, certainly in Britain they didn’t, and what had to be put in place were we to leave the EU hadn’t been thought about enough.”  

Lord Murphy underlined that during his discussions, many had viewed the Windsor Framework as an improvement on the protocol, he added however that it was something you “wouldn’t make up unless you had to.”  

Speaking specifically on the role of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC), Lord Murphy said that it was under severe pressure noting that: “There is masses of material coming to it, too little time to scrutinise it, insufficient, inadequate resources attached to the advice given to it, not sufficient good relations between Northern Ireland and Whitehall.” In relation to when is the best time to influence EU legislation that effects Northern Ireland, he said: “…the sooner, the better” adding that: “…you do that when its being written and that is in Brussels.” He underlined that this was why one of his recommendations referenced strengthening the NI office in Brussels.  

Lord Murphy highlighted what he described as: “…the burdens of bureaucracy that were on smaller businesses”, suggesting that smaller businesses based in Great Britain wanting to trade with Northern Ireland, “are finding it very burdensome and to a large extent don’t bother because they can’t cope with it anymore.” He said that a lot of money had been spent on schemes to help businesses, reiterating the idea of ‘a  one-stop shop’ that businesses could access . Lord Murphy added that he hoped this recommendation was one that the government would examine.  

Lord Murphy touched on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement that he hoped would be in force by 2027, stating that this: “…should make a very practical difference.”  

The Committee was keen to drill down on a number of the matters raised by Lord Murphy and on the recommendations in his report. Questions included issues around: the limitations of the report’s terms of reference; what the UK government could do to maximise dual market access for smaller businesses; UK government and Northern Ireland Executive relations with the EU and helping GB businesses to navigate the complexities of the Windsor Framework. 

Also on Wednesday, the Committee heard from the Road Haulage Association on customs arrangements post Windsor Framework.  

You can watch both evidence sessions in full here:   

 Coming up in the Assembly this week… 

On Monday during Question Time, the deputy First Minister responded to questions on the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland. The Leader of the Opposition, Matthew O’Toole MLA brought forward a motion on Establishing an Independent Environmental Protection Agency.  

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will take questions on Tuesday which include: whether he will legislate for an Independent Environmental Protection Agency before the end of the 2022-2027 Assembly mandate; an update on the implementation of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022; an update on the supply of veterinary medicines from Great Britain after the end of the grace period on 31 December 2025, as well as an update on the delivery of the Sustainable Agriculture Programme. 

On Thursday, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will hear from departmental officials on the progress of Rural Policy Development, and the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee will take a briefing from the Assembly research team (RaISe) on the European Commission Work Programme 2026.  

 Parliamentary Planner 

image shows arms resting on a desk as someone types with their left hand and writes on a planner with their right hand.

In our new ‘Parliamentary Planner’ section, we aim to keep you up to date with any relevant EU and Brexit related issues and discussions across other legislatures and the European Parliament.   

On Wednesday, the House of LordsNorthern Ireland Scrutiny Committee will take evidence from the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the Northern Ireland Branch President and the Northern Ireland Branch Honorary Secretary at the British Veterinary Association on ‘Veterinary medicines and the Windsor Framework’. You can watch the evidence session live here:  

Meanwhile, climate and the environment are high on the agenda for the Scottish Parliament this week. On Tuesday, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee will take evidence on Stage 1 of the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill. This bill proposal aims to protect the environment in Scotland and deter environmental damage by introducing the crime of ecocide into Scottish law.  

Also on Tuesday, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider its approach to scrutinising the draft Climate Change Plan.  

On Wednesday, during plenary, the Scottish Green Party will lead a debate on Climate Change. All public Committee and plenary sessions of the Scottish Parliament can be viewed live and via catch-up on  https://www.scottishparliament.tv/  

 In case you missed it…. 

image shows a magnifying glass over a dictionary page and the word news magnified and in bold

  • On Wednesday 19 November, ‘The Institute for Government’ will host a (hybrid) online/in person event re: ‘The UK-EU ‘reset': Six months on’. The event will feature contributions from Professor Anand Menon and Sir Ivan Rogers who will explore the UK's new 'deal' with the EU and how much progress has been made. Tickets are free and further information on the event and on how to register can be found here: