‘Tariff Refund System Failing Businesses’
Emma Little-Pengelly, Northern Ireland’s unionist Deputy First Minister, has criticized the current duty reimbursement scheme, declaring it “not fit for purpose for businesses” during remarks made on Thursday.
According to Stephen Kelly, CEO of Manufacturing NI, a member company attempted to reclaim a modest tariff—just a few hundred pounds—through the reimbursement system. However, the effort proved extremely time-consuming, taking three days just to gather the necessary documentation.
Submitting a claim requires extensive data, including full supply chain details, point of origin, shipping records, product codes, values, weights, names of those involved in the logistics, and proof of dispatch and delivery.
Despite their efforts, the company’s application was denied. “There just wasn’t enough information available,” Kelly said, noting the difficulty in meeting the “exceptionally high” standard of proof that goods won’t ultimately enter the EU’s Single Market.
The result, Kelly said, is that “many businesses have been unable to recover tariffs that are rightly owed to them,” while others are deterred from even applying due to the complexity and burden of the process.
Political Frustration Grows
Northern Ireland finds itself uniquely impacted by international trade tensions such as those stemming from Trump-era policies. The continuing challenges have fueled outrage among unionist politicians, who argue that businesses in the region are being unfairly penalized.
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