New rules could ease restrictions on pets and goods for travellers.

The Windsor Framework, a new agreement following the “oven-ready” Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson, aims to alleviate barriers for travellers from England, Wales, and Scotland to Northern Ireland. The original Northern Ireland Protocol imposed numerous restrictions, affecting everything from pets to packed lunches. Here’s what you need to know about the changes.

Current Rules for Travellers
Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland is treated as part of the EU Single Market for customs purposes, leading to a range of regulations. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak noted that this protocol effectively created an international customs border for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, resulting in extra costs and complex paperwork for businesses.

Pets
Bringing pets into Northern Ireland currently requires compliance with the EU Pet Travel Scheme. Pets from EU countries need:

A microchip
A rabies vaccination from an authorised vet, with a waiting period for immunity
A pet passport
Tapeworm treatment
For pets coming from Great Britain, a single-use EU animal health certificate is necessary, adding significant costs and effort.

Customs
Travellers need to be cautious with food. The rule prohibits bringing in Products Of Animal Origin (POAO), including meat and dairy items. There are limited exemptions for certain baby foods and some fruits, while fish can be brought in up to 20kg, and honey in quantities of 2kg or less is also allowed.

Cash
Travellers carrying €10,000 (£8,800) or more must declare this when travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

What Will Change?
Pets
The Windsor Framework will eliminate the need for EU-standard compliance. Prime Minister Sunak announced that pet owners will only need to ensure their pet is microchipped and simply tick a box when booking travel.

Customs
Goods transported from Great Britain to Northern Ireland that do not proceed further will be permitted to use a new “green lane,” which will bypass routine customs checks. This change aims to streamline the process by replacing burdensome customs bureaucracy with existing commercial data sharing, while still allowing checks to combat smuggling and crime.

Cash
The requirement to declare large amounts of cash is expected to be removed, simplifying travel for holidaymakers.

These changes under the Windsor Framework are set to make travelling to Northern Ireland more straightforward for British holidaymakers, reducing the barriers that have been in place since Brexit.