Northern Ireland Offers Seamless Tariff-Free Access to GB and EU

Northern Ireland is the only place in the world with seamless tariff-free market access to both Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU).

If you locate your business here, it means you can ship seamlessly to GB and EU markets – without tariffs, customs documentation or declarations.

Or if you source goods from Northern Ireland, our unique market access and regulatory alignment with the EU make the buying process easy.

You’ll also access a thriving region with world-class products, services and a proven track-record across a range of sectors including Manufacturing, Engineering and Tech.

That’s why 100 countries already buy from us and over 1,500 international companies are located here.

Could your business be next to benefit? Find out more at: investni.com/international


Global Green Economy: Ripe for American Overseas Expansion
The global green economy is expanding at a breakneck pace, as rapidly developing technology takes hold. A recent report by the London Stock Exchange puts the industry’s total revenue for 2023 at approximately $5 trillion, with a market capitalization of more than $7 trillion, with the strongest green revenue growth tied to the Auto, Industrial goods & services, and Construction & Material sectors.

The report states in no uncertain terms that, “the green economy represents a generational investment opportunity.”

As the US market continues to outperform the rest of the world, governments around the globe are enacting trade restrictions across many of these industries as part of increasing onshoring efforts. The European Union appears likely to enact a 38 percent tariff increase in the coming months on EVs made in China, which accounted for nearly 20 percent of battery-powered EVs sold in the EU last year. At the same time, the bloc is attempting to shift its clean energy reliance away from China, which is currently responsible for more than 80 percent of the world's solar manufacturing capacity.

The immediate and growing need for established infrastructure and resources around Engineering, Manufacturing and reliable supply chains is far outpacing development in the European and UK markets.

This combination of industry growth and geopolitical factors is creating a unique opportunity for American companies looking to expand their presence in major overseas markets. The European market is home to 500 million consumers and is the world’s third-largest economy behind China and the US. The UK market encompasses 67 million people as the world’s sixth- largest economy by GDP, and is largely dominated by the services sector with a high level of consumption.

Parked at the intersection of these markets, Northern Ireland has spent years investing to build out infrastructure and upskill its workforce across its flourishing Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology sectors to meet the demands of the green economy, bolstered in part by substantial, ongoing government investment stretching back for more than a decade, as the UK began to realize its huge economic potential.

Home to world-class suppliers with global exporting experience, Northern Ireland’s local supply chains are already mobilized and serving key green economy development including low- carbon heating, renewables, green mobility, and green fuels. An estimated 60 percent of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing companies are selling into the green economy and generating nearly $2 billion in turnover and $300 million in exports.

Northern Ireland has seen an increasing influx in recent years of American companies in high-tech sectors looking to establish or expand their presence in the EU and UK markets. US-owned companies have accounted for nearly 40 percent of FDI projects in Northern Ireland since 2020, and now make up close to 20 percent of the 1,200 international businesses currently operating in the region. The European economy consists of 99 percent small-to-medium-sized businesses, presenting a significant opportunity for market penetration. As such, that surge of American presence– from startups to publicly traded corporations–is expected to continue on its current trajectory.

Author Bio:
Danielle Glassner, FDI Business Development Director, West Coast at Invest Northern Ireland.