About the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS)

This page has been published to provide information on the new Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme and the NI Plant Health Label Scheme. Please note that information not related to NIRMS or NIPHL on this page is currently under review.

Windsor Framework

On 27 February 2023 the UK and EU announced the ‘Windsor Framework’ (WF) to make changes to the Protocol. The WF constitutes a comprehensive set of joint solutions aimed at addressing, in a definitive way, the practical challenges and everyday issues of all communities and businesses in NI in relation to operation of the Protocol, whilst protecting the integrity of both the EU and UK’s Internal Markets.

The WF differentiates between goods that are at risk of moving to the EU Single Market, and goods that are destined for final consumption in Northern Ireland. Building upon this distinction, it establishes two ways for goods to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. From this perspective, goods at risk of entering the EU Single Market will remain subject to full EU customs and Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) procedures [(Full Official Controls Regulations (OCR)]. Alternatively, for goods staying in the UK, trusted traders will be able to use new arrangements to move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (e.g., ‘NI Retail Movement Scheme’).

Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme

The Windsor Framework establishes a new scheme to move prepacked agri-food retail goods from Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) into Northern Ireland – the ‘Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme’ (NIRMS).

The NIRMS will commence on 01 October 2023, replacing the existing Scheme for Temporary Agrifood Movements into Northern Ireland (STAMNI) from that point.

UK public health and consumer protection standards, including organic and marketing standards will apply for all retail food and drink moved through the scheme with EU standards where relevant applicable in relation to animal and plant standards.

Under NIRMS arrangements businesses will move goods on the basis of a single General Certificate for eligible consignments, supported by a packing list. There will be no requirement for an official veterinarian or plant health inspector to approve the documentation.

Movements which do not qualify under the scheme will be subjected to full Official Controls. UK Government will continue to provide support through the Digital Assistance Scheme, and should goods remain in Northern Ireland, the Movement Assistance Scheme.

NIRMS Business Eligibility

All businesses/traders responsible for selling or facilitating the movement of food for final consumption in Northern Ireland are eligible to benefit from NIRMS simplified arrangements. This includes:

• retailers selling finished goods to end consumers
• hospitality venues such as pubs and restaurants
• those providing food to the public sector – for example schools, hospitals and prisons
• wholesalers supplying smaller retail outlets
• businesses operating factory canteens

Businesses will be able to join the NIRMS on an ongoing basis.

Specific queries should be forwarded to:

daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk