Support service for Northern Ireland traders extended for a year 

The Trader Support Service (TSS) that helps shippers and hauliers moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been extended until December 2023.

The move follows increasing calls from businesses on both sides of the water for the government to shelve plans to scrap the service, as they continue to struggle with the mountain of red tape resulting from Brexit border controls between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.

More than 47,000 businesses have registered with the TSS since its launch in 2020 to help them navigate the welter of forms that need to be completed in order to move goods.

The requirement is so complex that many companies have turned away from trading with Northern Ireland. Recent research by the Consumer Council indicates that at least 200 British companies no longer send products to Northern Ireland.

The TSS offers a free-to-use digital platform and support to manage digital declarations including completing import and safety and security declarations on behalf of traders.

The TSS also provides training to help businesses complete declarations without the need to purchase specialist software.

Announcing the move the government said it is “committed to ensuring traders are supported throughout 2023 to meet the requirements of moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including tailoring this support in response to the changes the government is seeking to make to the Northern Ireland Protocol”.