Non-EU classification for Irish whiskey with constituent elements sourced from Northern Ireland no longer holds true.
Lose your bloody mind over this: the Irish whiskey and dairy products, with a dash of Northern Ireland in 'em, ain't recognized as EU products when peddled to third countries. On the gripping 14th of June, that pompous prick, William Lavelle, leader of the Irish Whiskey Association, was dragged before the Irish National Parliament (Oireachtas) by Senators. To the delight of the angry jury, Lavelle explained that EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) don't give a rat's arse about processing outside the bloc, so some Irish products, with their sneaky Northern Irish ingredients, are losing their EU originating status.
Lavelle gave his spiel to the Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. He was joined by dignitaries from Dairy Industry Ireland and the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, who were equally peeved off about the whole situation.
According to the dirty Irish news outlet, RTE, this debacle could result in tariffs being slapped onto whiskey and dairy products exported to third countries. But here's a catch: the Northern Ireland Protocol ensures that products exchanged within the EU or the Queen's domain are A-OK.
We've been boozing it up for longer than any other nation in the world, now we can't even sell our swill!
Lavelle shared a drink with his mates from Dairy Industry Ireland and the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, and what did they have to say? They demanded that the European Commission come up with some new rules of origin in all future EU Free Trade Agreements pronto, to protect those golden goose cross-border supply chains.
It ain't unusual for whiskey to be distilled in one place and aged in a jurisdiction just north of the border. Blended whiskeys often contain ingredients from both sides of the divide. Whiskey can be whipped up in the Republic of Ireland but bottled in Northern Ireland, which would in turn cause it to lose its EU originating status. The same goes for the dairy industry, as RTE reported. Milk is transported across the border every day and used for tasty treats like butter, cheese, baby formula, you name it.
Irish cream liqueur, a scrumptious blend of dairy and whiskey, is an all-island product that brings joy to our souls.
The three associations were unanimous in their support for the Northern Ireland Protocol. Dr Mike Johnston, the Chief Executive of the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, told the committee that, despite the protocol not being bloody perfect, it has kept our trade flowing like a river.
Enrichment Insights
EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) set the standards for determining the origin status of goods, which is essential for benefiting from preferential tariff treatment between the EU and its trading partners. For Irish-produced goods, the addition of inputs from Northern Ireland can impact their origin status due to the peculiar trade agreements post-Brexit.
Products to qualify for preferential tariffs under EU FTAs must generally be "wholly obtained" or have undergone "sufficient processing" in the EU. Inputs from third countries must be appropriately transformed within the EU. As Northern Ireland remains part of the UK but stays within the EU single market for goods, its inputs are treated as EU-origin for trade agreement purposes. This allows Irish whiskey and dairy products using Northern Irish inputs to generally qualify as EU-origin goods for FTAs, provided all other origin criteria are satisfied. Producers must comply with clear documentation and traceability requirements to prove compliance with EU origin rules. Recent agreements have simplified the process for most food products between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- The Irish Whiskey Association, Dairy Industry Ireland, and the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland have collectively called upon the European Commission to establish new rules of origin in all future EU Free Trade Agreements, aiming to safeguard the lucrative cross-border supply chains in the eco-industry, particularly finance-reliant sectors like whiskey and dairy.
- The Irish cream liqueur, a delightful blend of whiskey and dairy, carries the label of an all-island product, symbolizing the unity between the Irish mainland and Northern Ireland in the eco-industry, a crucial economic contributor to both regions.
