EU law and the Windsor Framework

• 25 Oct 2026: Published. Same evening: nine corrections after an independent fact-check (Customs Code Brake window to 5 Nov; plastic-waste export ban 21 Nov; EUDR wood-product date; VAT cut is temporary; REACH, machinery and single electricity market rows reworded; two weak sources replaced; one unverified consultation removed). Added: who each law affects, the kind of each GB effect, the UK Internal Market Scheme, parcel duty, the Murphy review, a glossary, filters and this log.

Updated every Friday by 5pm. Each update is logged here.

Windsor Framework

The 2023 UK–EU agreement that replaced the Northern Ireland Protocol. Its annexes list the EU laws on goods, customs, VAT on goods, animal and plant health, state aid and the electricity market that apply in NI.

Dynamic alignment (Article 13(3))

When the EU amends or replaces a listed law, the new version applies in NI automatically, unless the Stormont Brake is used.

New EU acts (Article 13(4))

An EU law that is new, not a replacement, applies in NI only if the UK and EU add it by a Joint Committee decision, normally after the Assembly passes an applicability motion.

Stormont Brake

Thirty MLAs from at least two parties can notify the UK Government that an amended or replacement EU law should not apply in NI. It must be a last resort, and the change must be significantly different and affect everyday life. The Secretary of State decides. Used once, on chemical labelling; not applied.

Democratic Scrutiny Committee

The Assembly committee that examines each amending or replacement EU act and can hold an inquiry. Its reports and the Brake deadlines are on the Assembly's EU law scrutiny tracker.

UK Internal Market Scheme and "not at risk" goods

Authorised traders moving goods from GB to NI that will not enter the EU use simplified information instead of a customs declaration. Whether goods are "at risk" decides how much EU customs law bites on a shipment.

NI Retail Movement Scheme

The simplified route for prepacked food and drink moving from GB to NI shops and caterers. Goods carry "Not for EU" labels.

Sources: The Stormont Brake (NI Assembly); UK Internal Market Scheme (Department for the Economy); Retail Movement Scheme (GOV.UK).

A dated snapshot, checked on 24–25 October 2026 against the NI Assembly's EU law scrutiny tracker and Brexit and Beyond newsletters, GOV.UK, DAERA, the Council of the EU, the European Commission and gov.ie. "Not in the annexes" rows are my reading of the Windsor Framework annexes, not legal advice. Every link is to an official source except where a row says "as reported by"; the NI Assembly's Brexit and Beyond newsletter is used where a GOV.UK page could not be opened. Commission close dates are usually midnight Brussels time; check the consultation page before you rely on one. Nothing on this page is fetched or sent, and every table can be downloaded as CSV.