Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald welcomed changes to the Duty Reimbursement Scheme.

The scheme was introduced following the Windsor Framework and is administered by HMRC. It enables traders and importers to recover EU customs duties paid on goods brought into Northern Ireland that were not sold or used in the EU.

The Minister had pressed the British Government for improvements after hearing from businesses through her Tariff Working Group. Difficulties with the scheme were also noted in the 2025 Independent Review of the Windsor Framework conducted by Lord Murphy.

The changes will link the Duty Reimbursement Scheme with the Customs Duty Waiver Scheme. They will also streamline processes and allow greater flexibility for claims involving mixed or pooled stocks.

HMRC will inform businesses of the updates. The Minister said the impact of the changes should be assessed and further efficiencies sought in relation to criteria, data and evidence requirements.