Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

End of session report 2025-2026

Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee end of session report 2025-2026.pdf (236.54 kb)

Remit, powers, and membership

1. The Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC) is a standing committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly established in accordance with Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Standing Order 59A of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

2. The purpose of the Committee is to assist with the observation and implementation of Article 13(3a) and Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework.

3. The functions of the Committee include:

(a) the examination and consideration of new EU acts and replacement EU acts;

(b) the conduct of inquiries and publication of reports in relation to replacement EU acts;

(d) engagement with the UK Government in relation to replacement EU acts;

(e) engagement with Ministers and Northern Ireland departments in relation to replacement EU acts;

(f) the collation and publication of evidence collected as part of its other activities; and

(g) dealing with other matters (including legislative proposals which may become new EU acts or replacement EU acts) which the Committee considers to be connected with its purpose or other functions.

4. A replacement EU act means an EU law which updates, by amending or replacing, any of the relevant[1] EU laws which already apply in Northern Ireland, as listed under Annex 2 of the Windsor Framework.Areas of EU law that apply in Northern Ireland include legislation on goods, animal and plant health rules, rules on agricultural production, VAT and excise on goods, and state aid rules.The EU’s Customs Code also applies to goods entering Northern Ireland.

5. There is a procedure by which members of the Assembly may seek to prevent the application of a replacement EU act (an emergency brake mechanism known as the Stormont Brake). Further information on the Stormont Brake can be found here.

6. A new EU act means a new EU law which falls within the scope of the Windsor Framework, but which neither amends nor replaces an EU act listed in the Annexes.

7. The Northern Ireland Assembly has a role, by means of an “applicability motion”, in setting out its position on whether a new EU act should be added to the list of EU laws applicable in Northern Ireland. Further information on applicability motions can be found here.

8. The Committee has the power to require any person to attend its proceedings for the purpose of giving evidence, or to produce documents, relating to its purpose or functions.

9. The Committee has nine members, including a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, and a quorum of five members. The membership of the Committee is as follows:

Mrs Ciara Ferguson MLA (Chairperson)[2]
Mr David Brooks MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA
Mr Cathal Boylan MLA[3]
Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA[4]
Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA[5]
Mr Peter Martin MLA[6]
Ms Kate Nicholl MLA[7]
- Mr Eóin Tennyson MLA[8]

End of Session Report

10. This report summarises the work of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee from 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2026.

11. Details of Committee expenditure during this reporting period are included at Annex A.

Committee meetings

12. The Committee met on twenty-five occasions during this reporting period. Seven meetings were held in public session, fifteen meetings were held in part public/part closed session, and three meetings were held in closed session. All meetings were held in Parliament Buildings.

13. Closed sessions were scheduled in accordance with normal procedural convention - any closed sessions of the Committee were either for the purpose of considering legal or procedural advice or considering draft Committee reports.

Key activities, outputs and achievements

14. During this reporting period, the Committee considered sixteen published replacement EU acts and thirty-two proposed EU acts. The proposed EU acts included both those which were notified to the Committee in accordance with paragraph 6 of Schedule 6B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and those which had started their legislative passage before the Committee was established (and would likely have been notified to it had it been established at the time).[9]

15. On six occasions the Committee sought the views of representatives of business and civil society, as well as members of the public, on proposed and published EU acts. On each occasion, views were sought using the Citizen Space survey platform. A link to the survey was also shared with key stakeholders which the Assembly's Research and Information Service (RaISe) identified as being potentially affected if the EU act was to apply in Northern Ireland.

Inquiries

16. The Committee held five inquiries into published replacement EU acts during this reporting period.

17. In deciding whether to hold an inquiry, paragraph 8(2)(a) of Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, requires the Committee to have regard to whether it appears likely that the published replacement act:

significantly differs (in whole or in part) from the content or scope of the EU instrument which it amends or replaces; and
would have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist.

The Committee did this in all five instances.

18. In holding an inquiry, paragraph 9(2) of Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998, requires the Committee to “seek substantive discussion and engagement” with the UK Government, the relevant Northern Ireland Minister or department, and, to the extent that the Committee considers appropriate, representatives of businesses and civil society affected by the replacement EU act, or who would be affected, if the act was to apply in Northern Ireland[10]. The Committee did this in all five instances.

19. A list of the five inquiries held by the Committee, and links to the relevant inquiry reports, can be found at Annex B.

20. In three of the five inquiries, the Committee concluded that the relevant published replacement EU acts significantly differed (in whole or in part) from the EU instrument (or instruments) they amended or replaced. It concluded in the remaining two inquiries that the relevant published replacement EU acts did not significantly differ (in whole or in part) from the content or scope of the EU instrument (or instruments) which they amended or replaced.

21. In four of the five inquiries, the Committee concluded that the relevant published replacement EU acts would not have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist. It concluded in the remaining inquiry that it was unable to reach a view on whether the relevant act would have a significant impact specific to everyday life of communities in Northern Ireland in a way that is liable to persist.

Key engagements

22. The Committee travelled to Brussels from 20 April 2026 to 22 April 2026. The purpose of the visit was to explore relevant proposed EU acts arising from the European Commission Work Programme for 2026, and to engage with the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU ahead of Ireland assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2026. Engagements during the visit included:

The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels;
The European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO);
The European ParliamentCommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI);
The UK Mission to the EU; and
The Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU.

23. The Committee travelled to Westminster from 28 April 2026 to 29 April 2026. The purpose of the visit was to engage with the UK Government regarding its respective responses to the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework and to the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee’s Inquiry on strengthening Northern Ireland’s voice in the context of the Windsor Framework and engage with relevant Westminster Committees. Engagements during the visit included:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP;
The House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee;
The House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee; and
The Cabinet Office Windsor Framework Taskforce.

24. On 5 March 2026, the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson met with the Chairperson of the Seanad Éireann Select Committee on EU Scrutiny and Transparency. The Seanad Select Committee was established in 2025, holding its inaugural meeting on 17 December 2025. The purpose of the meeting was to develop an early understanding of how it plans to engage with the DSC and complement its work.

25. On 13 May 2026, Committee Members and Secretariat staff attended the Balmoral Show. Visitors to the show were able to learn more about the work of the Committee through informal discussions with Members and staff.

Annex A – Committee Expenditure

Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee

Expenditure for the period 1 September 2025 – 31 August 2026

Budget area	Details	Expenditure
Committee Travel - committee members and staff travel and subsistence in relation to visits and meetings outside Parliament Buildings	Includes the cost of committee visits to: Brussels – April 2026 Westminster – April 2026 Balmoral Show – May 2026 Brussels – October 2026 (costs incurred in advance)	£12,930.36
Refreshments & Hospitality	Includes the cost of all refreshments and hospitality provided by the committee.	£1,468.96
General expenses	Includes the broadcasting costs associated with Committee meetings during recess period.	£4,495.00
Total Expenditure		£18,894.32

Annex B – Inquiries carried out during the reporting period

During the reporting period, the Committee held inquiries into:

Inquiry into Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 July 2026 amending Regulations (EU) 2024/1689, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2023/1230 as regards the simplification of the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (Digital Omnibus on AI) - Article 3 Only

[1] Relevant EU laws are those EU instruments referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 5(1) of the Windsor Framework, the first indent of heading 1 of Annex 2 to the Framework or headings 7 to 47 of Annex 2 to the Framework

[2] Mrs Ciara Ferguson MLA replaced Mr Philip McGuigan MLA, as both Chairperson and a member on the Committee on 04/02/2025. Mr Philip McGuigan MLA previously replaced Mr Declan Kearney MLA as Chairperson on the Committee on 09/02/2024.

[3] Mr Cathal Boylan MLA replaced Ms Emma Sheerin MLA as a member of the Committee on 24/11/2025.

[4] Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA replaced Mr Stephen Dunne MLA as a member on the Committee on 16/09/2024. Mr Stephen Dunne MLA previously replaced Mr Jonathan Buckley MLA as a member on the Committee on 03/06.2024.

[5] Mr Pádraig Delargy MLA replaced Mr Declan Kearney MLA as a member of the Committee on 02/03/2026.

[6] Mr Peter Martin MLA replaced Ms Joanne Bunting MLA as a member of the Committee on 02/12/2024.

[7] Ms Kate Nicholl MLA replaced Ms Connie Egan MLA as a member on the Committee on 09/09/24. Ms Connie Egan MLA previously replaced Mr Patrick Brown MLA as a member on the Committee on 20/05/2024.

[8] Mr Eóin Tennyson MLA replaced Ms Sorcha Eastwood MLA as a member on the Committee on 22/04/2024.

[9] Further information on all the proposed and published EU acts considered by the Committee, and evidence gathered in relation to each one, is available on the Committee’s website.

[10] The Committee may also consider any matters it deems appropriate.