London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

Northern Ireland’s Brexit balancing act

The coming months could be a real stress test for Northern Ireland. Though legally it has left the European Union, Northern Ireland will still be subject to many EU laws and regulations. Officially part of the UK but in many ways still in the EU.
What could this new role mean for a country that has struggled for decades to secure lasting peace, stability and economic success? The new situation could reignite old questions about Northern Ireland’s identity. There are currently no border controls on the island of Ireland.

Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland which remains a member of the EU have a completely open border, with freedom of travel, trade and a shared electricity grid. And that is supposed to remain unchanged in spite of Brexit, in order not to jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement and the hard-fought peace that has been achieved on the island.

Northern Ireland will effectively remain in the European Single Market, with the customs border officially in the Irish Sea. This poses a huge challenge for port authorities and haulage companies, because that customs border will effectively split Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The port will be required to carry out customs checks for goods coming from Britain to Northern Ireland. Haulage contractors will have to fill out customs declarations although it’s actually domestic trade.

On the other hand, some companies - like one sports clothing manufacturer in Belfast - are happy to be able to continue trading closely with the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the EU, despite Brexit. But it’s clear, businesses will have to realign and many fear they will be forced to decide whether to trade with the EU or the rest of the UK.

And that turns Northern Ireland’s special status into a political issue. Could it drive a wedge between Northern Ireland and Britain, making closer ties with the Republic of Ireland seem more attractive? The Unionists, who attach great importance to Northern Ireland being part of the UK, are furious.

They rejected all suggestion of a customs border in the Irish Sea right from the start, while the Republicans believe this process will inevitably work in their favor, leading ultimately to the reunification of Ireland. So how is all this affecting ordinary people in the cities of Belfast and Londonderry, who continue to live with the high barriers that separate predominately Unionist neighborhoods from Republican ones?
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×