Does Brexit deal mean no forms to access Great Britain?

Posted on by FactCheckNI

CLAIM: The current negotiated deal for the UK leaving the EU outlines no forms, checks, or barriers of any kind for goods leaving Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

CONCLUSION: INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION. While no customs export declaration forms would be required (as Northern Ireland will remain in a UK-wide customs area), exit summary declarations will be required to move goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. These declarations represent a new intervention, in addition to existing checks. Continue reading Does Brexit deal mean no forms to access Great Britain?

Thousands of tonnes of slurry for pork for China?

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CLAIM: Thousands of tonnes of slurry are being spread on farmland, all due to exporting pork to China, according to Channel 4 News.

CONCLUSION: UNSUBSTANTIATED. The export of 1,450 pigs would represent 1,000 tonnes of slurry (based on an estimate of 957,495 tonnes p.a.). Tonnage figures for pork exports from Northern Ireland are unavailable. A secondary claim that “there’ll soon be as many pigs as people in Northern Ireland” is inaccurate; there were 633,600 pigs in 2018 and the mid-year 2018 population of Northern Ireland was 1,881,600. Continue reading Thousands of tonnes of slurry for pork for China?

Brexit box viral graphic fact check

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A graphic about what actions have been made by the European Union and the UK, respectively, since negotiations for the UK to leave the EU began on 29 March 2017 has been shared at least 74,000 times on Facebook. The infographic makes twelve separate claims; FactCheckNI has fact checked each of them. We interpret “has” with reference to the date of action delivered, not announced. Continue reading Brexit box viral graphic fact check

A cross-border business transaction every 6 seconds?

Posted on by FactCheckNI

CLAIM: A business transaction happens every six seconds across the border of Northern Ireland and Ireland.

CONCLUSION: INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION. There was a cross-border commercial vehicle journey every 6.74 seconds in 2016. But there are no known data on cross-border business transactions. Continue reading A cross-border business transaction every 6 seconds?

Is border trade 0.5% of UK-EU trade?

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CLAIM: There are approximately 100 lorries per day crossing the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and cross-border trade represents 0.5% of UK-EU trade.

CONCLUSION: INACCURATE. There are 5,900 lorry (heavy goods vehicle) crossings daily. Cross-border trade represents 0.97% of UK-EU trade; alternative figures may be due to different measurement practices between countries. Continue reading Is border trade 0.5% of UK-EU trade?