It comes after industry representatives warned that an updated EU law (Regulation 2024/2865) affecting the labelling of chemicals would create additional trade friction for the flow of products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Commenting, Party Leader Rt Hon Gavin Robinson MP said:
‘‘The DUP is focused on fully restoring Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom and its internal market. We have made no secret of the fact that we will use the Stormont Brake to full effect in the pursuit of our overall objectives.
This EU regulation introduces a host of new requirements for labels attached to chemical products, including new minimum font sizes and rules around spacing. This would make current labels unusable for the majority of products. Critically, these changes would not be required for products on the market in Great Britain.
With trade flows in chemicals between Great Britain and Northern Ireland worth in the region of £1bn annually, the impact of this divergence would be significant. The Chemical Industries Association (CIA), which represents chemical and pharmaceutical companies across the United Kingdom, has assessed that the Regulation would have a significant, negative and prolonged impact on everyday life in Northern Ireland.
Those who ignore such warnings do so at their peril.
Applying this law under the Windsor Framework would represent a further fracture in the UK internal market, driving up costs for manufacturers and creating a chill factor for GB-based companies currently supplying the NI market. Therefore, regardless of their political outlook, I would encourage all members of the Assembly who recognise the harm this poses to sign the petition we have tabled with the Speaker.
Laws made without our input, which we cannot change, and which pose a grave threat to trade flows within the UK, ought not to be foisted on communities in Northern Ireland in the absence of cross-community consent. It is right that we take a stand on this issue.’’