On Monday, 19th December, the EU Commission’s Brexit Chief Negotiator announced an extension to the grace period, covering the supply of veterinary medicines from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI), to December 2025 in order to give industry ‘ample time’ to adapt to the new regulatory arrangements that will eventually be required. The current grace period was due to expire at the end of this year. Many businesses were concerned about the continuity of supply of veterinary medicines as NI, which is still inside the EU’s regulatory system for pharmaceutical products due to the NI Protocol, sources most of its supplies from GB which is no longer subject to EU regulations. There was concern that if the grace period was not extended, there would be severe shortages in Northern Ireland. In announcing the extension, the EU is keen to show that it is able to develop practical solutions to resolving issues with the Protocol. The UK Government also welcomed the announcement. It is hoped that increased EU flexibility in areas such as this will create the ‘landing zone’ needed to develop a more long-lasting solution to the NI Protocol challenges. Business groups including the British Veterinary Association also welcomed the announcement.
