The Windsor Framework ‘green lane’ for UK goods
With Brexit came many trade challenges, particularly between the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland. Extensive border checks for goods and increased bureaucracy resulted in increased costs for businesses. The Windsor Framework 'green lane' aims to solve this issue by providing a smoother trade route into Northern Ireland for goods coming from the UK. Companies will need to assess their product category and whether the new labelling requirements apply.
The 'green lane'
The green lane has been created to allow movement of certain retail goods into Northern Ireland from the UK. This includes ‘certain consignments of retail goods, plants for planting, seed potatoes, machinery and certain vehicles operated for agricultural or forestry purposes, as well as non-commercial movements of certain pet animals into Northern Ireland’ as part of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231.
Three phases to labelling requirements
There are three phases to the marking of retail goods, which will need to be individually labelled with ‘Not for EU’ at each stage.
- 1 October 2023: all meat, and some dairy products
- 1 October 2024: all milk and dairy products (including UHT milk)
- 1 July 2025: composite product, fruit, vegetables and fish
Exceptions: food products that do not need individual labels
There are exceptions for products that do not require labelling under UK guidance. In cases where products moving under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme are not individually labelled in October 2023, the label on the box or the crate should include ‘Not for EU’, and this statement should be clearly visible at shelf level at the retailer. This will cease as products start to be labelled through the phases.
There may be further requirements from the UK government to label goods sold in England, Scotland and Wales; and we will continue to monitor these changes.
At Leatherhead Food Research our scientific and regulatory affairs team can support with assessing product compliance under the Windsor Framework. Please contact us at [email protected] to find out how we can support you.
