The Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU Interim Report on the Impacts of Brexit July 2021 33/Seanadwukeu/001
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Roghchoiste Speisialta an tSeanaid um an Ríocht Aontaithe do Tharraingt Siar as an Aontach Eorpach Tuarascáil Eatramhach ar Éifeachtaí Brexit Iúil 2021 The Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU Interim Report on the Impacts of Brexit July 2021 33/SeanadWUKEU/001 Ohh Tithe an Oireachtais Roghchoiste Speisialta an tSeanaid um an Ríocht Aontaithe do Tharraingt Siar as an Aontach Eorpach Tuarascáil eatramhach ar éifeachtaí Brexit Iúil 2021 ____________________________ Houses of the Oireachtas Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU Interim report on the impacts of Brexit July 2021 33/SeanadWUKEU/001 Contents Cathaoirleach’s Foreword ....................................................................................................................... 1 stalishent o ecial Committee ...................................................................................................... 2 acground and revious reorts ........................................................................................................... 2 EU- rade and Cooperation greement TC) ................................................................................... 3 Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland .............................................................................................. 3 Committee ngagements ........................................................................................................................ 4 Ke themes.............................................................................................................................................. 6 1. rade Flows and Cstoms ............................................................................................................... 7 1.1 Inrastrctre .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. he Rles of rigin ..................................................................................................................... 12 2. he Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland ............................................................................. 1 2.1 Citizens’ Rights in Northern Ireland ost-reit ......................................................................... 1 3. utal recognition of roessional ualiications ........................................................................ 22 3.1 dcation and Research .............................................................................................................. 2 4. ealth – Cross-border Health irective CBD) .............................................................................. 28 5. ata Flows ..................................................................................................................................... 1 6. Ftre relations ............................................................................................................................. 34 Recommendations and conclusions going orward rom evidence presented to the Committee ...... 38 Appendi 1 – Mebership o the Committee ...................................................................................... 46 Appendi 2 – erms of Reference of the Committee ........................................................................... 47 Contents Cathaoirleach’s Foreword Cathaoirleach’s Foreword ....................................................................................................................... 1 stalishent o ecial Committee ...................................................................................................... 2 “he reit reerendum and the ensing withdrawal rocess represents an etraordinar period in relations etween the EU and the .. and indeed Ireland acground and revious reorts ........................................................................................................... 2 and the U.K. The four years that followed the UK’s vote to leave the ropean EU- rade and Cooperation greement TC) ................................................................................... 3 Union was a period of intense negotiation, with several extensions to the UK’s oicial withdrawal. Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland .............................................................................................. 3 Committee ngagements ........................................................................................................................ 4 he rade and Cooperation greement that will inorm the futre relationship o the and the was reached on the 24 December 2020. Not all asects o the Ke themes.............................................................................................................................................. 6 futre relationship were thoroughly wored through and any outstanding isses remain. he 1. rade Flows and Cstoms ............................................................................................................... 7 Committee commenced its wor in late 2020 and agreed that the impact o the ost-31 ecember 2020 arrangements on arious sectors would be central to its or Programme. 1.1 Inrastrctre .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. he Rles of rigin ..................................................................................................................... 12 he Committee sought to rovide a platorm or sinesses communities and civil society groups to discss the impact o reit and the operation o the Trade and Cooperation greeent. he 2. he Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland ............................................................................. 1 intention o the Committee was to rovide an in-deth and detailed analysis o the isses impacting 2.1 Citizens’ Rights in Northern Ireland ost-reit ......................................................................... 1 people and sinesses on the island of Ireland. 3. utal recognition of roessional ualiications ........................................................................ 22 he Committee rther sought to engage in inter-parliaentary relationship ilding and held a number o meetings with olitical reresentatives rom Northern Ireland the EU and the .. to gain 3.1 dcation and Research .............................................................................................................. 2 an international perspective to the Committee’s work. 4. ealth – Cross-border Health irective CBD) .............................................................................. 28 he Committee held a series of blic hearings rom Deceber 2020 ntil une 2021 with relevant 5. ata Flows ..................................................................................................................................... 1 staeholder groups. hile it was clear that the withdrawal o the was going to hae serious 6. Ftre relations ............................................................................................................................. 34 reercssions or Ireland the Committee sought to identify the everyda isses aecting citizens and sinesses across the island. igniicant isses were identiied throughout Committee Recommendations and conclusions going orward rom evidence presented to the Committee ...... 38 engageents some o which were onl brought to the ore in the months ollowing reit. hese Appendi 1 – Mebership o the Committee ...................................................................................... 46 included impacts on trade flows and customs checs mutal recognition o aliications education, health, citizens’ rights and data flows. In addition, particular issues arose surronding the Appendi 2 – erms of Reference of the Committee ........................................................................... 47 rle o origin and mied origin roducts on the island o Ireland and srrounding the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland oth o which continue to resent difficlties in ongoing negotiations. i months into the operation of a new trading enironment and a signiicantly altered olitical landscae here is a etter understanding o the tre impact o reit and the issues lowing rom the rade and Cooperations greement that still reuire wor. he Committee cannot overstate the need or a proactive collaorative resonse to the implications arising rom reit all relevant parties to ensre a strong utre relationship etween the U and the and the and Ireland. he Committee has in this Interi Reort provided solutions-focsed recommendations and loos orward to its return in the Autn where it will re-commence its eamination in order to roduce its inal reort by 1 December 2021. I commend this Reort to eanad ireann with a reest that the report be deated as soon as ossible. I would like to epress my gratitde on ehal o the Committee to all the witnesses who attended our blic hearings to give eidence for the Interim Report o the Committee. I would also lie to than the sta o the Committee Secretariat who assisted in the preparation of this report.” _____________ enator Lisa Chabers Cathaoirleach – Jul 221 1 | Page stablismen o ecial ommittee The eanad pecial elect Committee on the ithdrawal of the United Kingdom from the uropean Union was estalished y a motion in eanad ireann on 6 ctober 2020 to: ➢ monitor Ireland’s preparedness for all possible outcomes following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union;