GB importers or downstream users of qualifying NI goods registered under EU REACH by a business in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland notifications)

This is for Great Britain-based importers, or downstream users of qualifying Northern Ireland goods (QNIGs) registered under EU REACH by a company based in Northern Ireland that want to maintain access to the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

For the duration of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland will remain part of EU regulatory systems for chemicals to ensure frictionless movement of goods within the island of Ireland, whilst remaining within the UK customs territory.

Northern Ireland businesses will retain their current EU REACH status and obligations allowing them to maintain current supply chains to the EU/EEA.

Northern Ireland notifications

A light-touch notification system (known as 'Northern Ireland notifications') will enable ongoing GB market access for existing NI-based EU REACH registrations for qualifying NI goods.

Northern Ireland notifications only apply to the import from Northern Ireland of QNIGs with a relevant connection to Northern Ireland, for example, substances, mixtures or articles that have been manufactured, formulated or produced in Northern Ireland.

Great Britain-based importers who:

The notification and information can be submitted by either the GB importer or the NI supplier.

Northern Ireland-based business wishing to do this should first inform your GB customer of your intentions.

What you need to do

You can submit your Northern Ireland notification using the Comply with UK REACH IT service by:

  1. creating an account on the Comply with UK REACH IT service
  2. downloading the Northern Ireland notification spreadsheet and populating it with information about the substances being imported into GB from NI. The spreadsheet should list individually all the substances being imported, one per line
  3. uploading this completed spreadsheet onto the Comply with UK REACH IT service

There will be no fees for the submission of a Northern Ireland notification. No registration will be needed where a Northern Ireland notification has been made.

If you wish to amend the details of your notification you will be able to do this on Comply with UK REACH IT from March 2021.

The Agency, which is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will help to determine whether a notification is needed and, if so, send a spreadsheet to complete and return.

Information required for a Northern Ireland notification

Imports of 1 to 10 tonnes from Northern Ireland

You can find the articles referred to below in the UK REACH Regulation on legislation.gov.uk.

If the substance is being imported into Great Britain from Northern Ireland in quantities of between 1 to 10 tonnes per year, the relevant business must supply:

10 tonnes or more

If the substance being imported into Great Britain from Northern Ireland is in quantities of 10 tonnes or more per year, the relevant business must supply:

Updated 2022-03-30