The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is seeking to test a provision of the post-Brexit Windsor Framework which gives the Northern Ireland Assembly a veto power over new EU laws.

The law in question is EU Regulation 2023/2411 on the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products, which came into force in November 2023.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said the regulation “would substantially expand EU intellectual property law in Northern Ireland”, which “could have serious implications for trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and mean new checks at our ports”.

He added: “This is a watershed moment. A decision by the Assembly to withhold consent for this new EU rule will practically demonstrate that we have removed the democratic deficit within our devolved context.”