Motion

Rejecting the New EU Customs Fee on Small Parcels

Motion TitleRejecting the New EU Customs Fee on Small Parcels

Motion TextThat this Assembly notes with concern the European Union’s decision to introduce a new customs fee for small parcels from 1 July 2026; expresses alarm that if imposed on Northern Ireland, these charges will increase the cost of goods sourced from Great Britain, whilst further reducing the choice available to local businesses and consumers; highlights the folly of those parties who voted to sustain Article 5 of the Protocol/Windsor Framework in December 2024, thereby keeping Northern Ireland at the mercy of changes to the EU Customs Code; urges the UK Government to stand up for local traders by restoring sovereignty and democratic decision making over all aspects of UK trade, without further delay; and calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to explicitly reject the prospect of a new customs duty on parcels moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office06/01/2026

Date Selected By Committee06/01/2026

Date of Plenary Debate13/01/2026

View Official Report

Tabled By

Member Name	Tabled As
Mr Jonathan Buckley	MLA - Upper Bann
Mr David Brooks	MLA - East Belfast
Mr Phillip Brett	MLA - North Belfast

Bills

Outcome/Voting

80 Members voted

32 Members voted AYE

48 Members voted NO

The Motion Was Negatived, Simple Majority Lobby Division

MLA Name	Designation	Voted
Dr Steve Aiken OBE	Unionist	AYE
Mr Andy Allen MBE	Unionist	AYE
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diana Armstrong	Unionist	AYE
Ms Kellie Armstrong	Other	NO
Mr Danny Baker	Nationalist	NO
Mr Doug Beattie MC	Unionist	AYE
Mr John Blair	Other	NO
Mr Cathal Boylan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maurice Bradley	Unionist	AYE
Ms Paula Bradshaw	Other	NO
Mr Phillip Brett	Unionist	AYE
Miss Nicola Brogan	Nationalist	NO
Mr David Brooks	Unionist	AYE
Mr Keith Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Tom Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jonathan Buckley	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jon Burrows	Unionist	AYE
Mr Robbie Butler	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Pam Cameron	Unionist	AYE
Mr Alan Chambers	Unionist	AYE
Mr Trevor Clarke	Unionist	AYE
Mr Pádraig Delargy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Stewart Dickson	Other	NO
Mrs Linda Dillon	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Diane Dodds	Unionist	AYE
Miss Jemma Dolan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Danny Donnelly	Other	NO
Mr Stephen Dunne	Unionist	AYE
Mr Mark Durkan	Nationalist	NO
Ms Connie Egan	Other	NO
Mrs Sinéad Ennis	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Deborah Erskine	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Ciara Ferguson	Nationalist	NO
Ms Aoife Finnegan	Nationalist	NO
Miss Órlaithí Flynn	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diane Forsythe	Unionist	AYE
Mr Paul Frew	Unionist	AYE
Mr Timothy Gaston	Unionist	AYE
Mr Colm Gildernew	Nationalist	NO
Mr Paul Givan	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Michelle Guy	Other	NO
Miss Deirdre Hargey	Nationalist	NO
Mr Harry Harvey	Unionist	AYE
Mr David Honeyford	Other	NO
Ms Cara Hunter	Nationalist	NO
Mr Declan Kearney	Nationalist	NO
Mr Gerry Kelly	Nationalist	NO
Ms Liz Kimmins	Nationalist	NO
Mr Brian Kingston	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly	Unionist	AYE
Mr Gordon Lyons	Unionist	AYE
Mr Declan McAleer	Nationalist	NO
Miss Nuala McAllister	Other	NO
Mr Daniel McCrossan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Patsy McGlone	Nationalist	NO
Mr Colin McGrath	Nationalist	NO
Mr Philip McGuigan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maolíosa McHugh	Nationalist	NO
Miss Michelle McIlveen	Unionist	AYE
Mr Andrew McMurray	Other	NO
Mr Justin McNulty	Nationalist	NO
Mr Peter McReynolds	Other	NO
Mr Peter Martin	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Cathy Mason	Nationalist	NO
Mr Nick Mathison	Other	NO
Mr Andrew Muir	Other	NO
Ms Sian Mulholland	Other	NO
Miss Áine Murphy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Mike Nesbitt	Unionist	AYE
Ms Kate Nicholl	Other	NO
Mr John O'Dowd	Nationalist	NO
Ms Michelle O'Neill	Nationalist	NO
Mr Matthew O'Toole	Nationalist	NO
Ms Aisling Reilly	Nationalist	NO
Mr Alan Robinson	Unionist	AYE
Ms Emma Sheerin	Nationalist	NO
Mr John Stewart	Unionist	AYE
Mr Eóin Tennyson	Other	NO
Mr Gareth Wilson	Unionist	AYE

Amendments

Selected Amendments

No amendments tabled were selected for this motion.

Other Amendments Tabled

Tabled Date	Amendment Text
09/01/2026	Leave out all after ‘1 July 2026;’ and insert: ‘recognises the need to mitigate any potential impact on goods moving from Great Briain to Northern Ireland; highlights the folly of those parties who supported leaving the European Union; welcomes the additional safeguards and protections provided under the Windsor Framework; urges the UK Government to ensure Northern Ireland’s interests are appropriately represented in engagements with the EU; and calls on the UK Government to seek negotiations on a UK-EU Customs Union to eliminate Brexit bureaucracy and boost economic growth without delay.’
07/01/2026	After ‘folly of those parties’ insert: ‘who returned to the Executive in February 2024 while the Protocol remained in force, and those’

Tabled Date

Amendment Text

09/01/2026

Leave out all after ‘1 July 2026;’ and insert: ‘recognises the need to mitigate any potential impact on goods moving from Great Briain to Northern Ireland; highlights the folly of those parties who supported leaving the European Union; welcomes the additional safeguards and protections provided under the Windsor Framework; urges the UK Government to ensure Northern Ireland’s interests are appropriately represented in engagements with the EU; and calls on the UK Government to seek negotiations on a UK-EU Customs Union to eliminate Brexit bureaucracy and boost economic growth without delay.’

07/01/2026

After ‘folly of those parties’ insert: ‘who returned to the Executive in February 2024 while the Protocol remained in force, and those’

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Rejecting the New EU Customs Fee on Small Parcels

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