Northern Ireland's dual market access is a rare commercial advantage, but red tape is slowing delivery. Two Department for the Economy reports, covered by The Irish News, find the promised benefits have yet to materialise because the trading regime remains complex and administratively demanding. For associations, the message from Manufacturing NI chief executive Stephen Kelly is clear: arrangements must become simpler, cheaper and more predictable. The stakes are all-island: CSO data show exports to Northern Ireland rose 5% to a record €5.44 billion in 2025.

The findings are encouraging, because the obstacles are largely practical rather than structural. Industry bodies can unlock the advantage in three ways: replacing fragmented guidance with a trusted voice, supplying the evidence policymakers need, and preparing members for simplification.

Clarity is the first prize. Fortior Insight's research finds many pressures arise less from the legal framework than from how processes operate in practice, citing fragmented guidance, inconsistent interpretation and unclear ownership. Economist Maureen O'Reilly adds that benefits are unevenly distributed and calls for clearer communication and greater support for smaller businesses. A membership organisation is ideally placed to become the trusted interpreter members lack.

Evidence is the second. Mr Kelly urges practical improvements grounded in evidence, noting that Northern Ireland manufacturing is performing strongly in British and international markets. InterTradeIreland's research shows businesses that export cross-border tend to be more profitable and resilient, with VAT and payroll among the main remaining barriers. Associations that systematically gather member data give policymakers a reliable picture that anecdote cannot.

Readiness is the third. The UK and EU have agreed a draft sanitary and phytosanitary deal that would remove checks and labelling requirements on agrifood goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland, with formal agreement expected at a summit on 20 November. Defra has engaged trade associations on it and intends it to take effect in mid-2027. Sector bodies preparing members early will turn simplification into commercial gain.

Several measures would accelerate progress. Associations north and south should co-produce a single, plain-English guidance library with government departments, built on a clear communication strategy. They should run quarterly member surveys on trading friction and share results with the Department for the Economy. Sector bodies should launch SPS readiness clinics for smaller firms ahead of 2027. They should also partner with InterTradeIreland to strengthen member engagement in cross-border trade.

The Department for the Economy's reports confirm dual market access holds real value that complexity has obscured. Associations and institutes are well placed to remove that friction through guidance, evidence and preparation. Globally, firms that navigate multiple regulatory regimes with ease will win. For every Irish association with members trading across these islands, association leadership on simplification is now a strategic priority.