From 01.05.2025, the way that shipments are moved between the UK and Northern Ireland is changing due to the Windsor Framework agreement. Are you ready?
What is the Windsor Framework?
Following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, the Windsor Framework has been agreed to keep shipments moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland as freely as possible.
If you are sending goods to consumers in Northern Ireland for personal use then customs declarations will not be required. We will still require certain information relating to the shipment however.
If you are sending shipments Business to Business and don’t want to submit full customs declarations or pay any import duties, you will need too ensure that either your Business or the receivers Business is registered under the UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS). This will allow goods considered ‘not at risk’ of entering the EU from a Business in Great Britain to enter Northern Ireland duty free.
If you are unable to declare that the goods are ‘not at risk’ and do not have UKIMS registration then full customs declarations will be required and the shipments may become dutiable.
We will require different information for shipments going to Consumers or Businesses and have listed the requirements below:
Business to Consumer Shipments
- Name and address of shipper in GB
- Name and address of receiver in NI
- Total value of goods
- Total weight of goods
- Description of goods (broken down to item levels)
Business to Business with UKIMS registration
- Name and address of shipper in GB
- Name and address of receiver in NI
- UKIMS Authorisation number and associated EORI number (for shipper or receiver)
- Total value of goods
- Total weight or goods
- Description of goods (broken down to item levels)
- Country of origin
Business to Business without UKIMS Registration
- Name and address of shipper in GB
- Name and address of receiver in NI
- Incoterms (v2-Despatch Point Incoterms PDF)
- Total value of goods
- Total weight or goods
- Description of goods (broken down to item levels)
- 10-digit commodity code at item level
- Country of origin
Please ensure that the above information is provided to us with the booking or in advance of the shipment. Our systems have been configured to share the required information through API links to ensure that the required data is processed as easily as possible.
HMRC have provided guidance and videos on the Windsor Framework Agreement. You can find out more on the following link and video – Sending parcels between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework – GOV.UK Windsor Framework – moving parcels from GB to NI
