On 23rd June 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union. Ten years later, the consequences of that decision are still being worked through, particularly in Northern Ireland and the wider North West.

A new report from the Centre for Cross Border Cooperation, 10 years on from the Brexit referendum, is a timely reminder that Brexit was never simply a constitutional event. For communities and businesses along the Ireland/Northern Ireland border, it has been a continuing process affecting trade, regulation, funding, labour mobility and cross-border cooperation.

The report traces how North-South cooperation, East-West relationships and the Good Friday Agreement became central to the Brexit negotiations. It also underlines a point that businesses understand the border economy does not operate in neat administrative lines. Supply chains, customers, staff, skills provision and investment opportunities move across jurisdictions every day.

For North West firms, this matters because uncertainty carries a cost. Regulatory divergence, customs processes, movement of goods, public funding changes and political instability all influence business confidence. At the same time, Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit position also creates opportunities, particularly where firms can access both UK and EU markets, build all-island supply chains and use cross-border partnerships to scale.

The employment and skills dimension is especially important. The Derry City & Strabane-Donegal corridor remains one of the most significant cross-border labour markets on the island. Many businesses draw on workers, training provision and customer bases that naturally sit on both sides of the border. That makes employability support, careers advice, training pathways and recruitment services an essential part of the region’s economic infrastructure.

This is where practical partnership matters. Organisations such as the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services help jobseekers and employers navigate the realities of cross-border work, including recruitment, training opportunities, taxation, and much more.

The border regions need policy designed around how their economies actually work. That means stable trading arrangements, clear guidance for SMEs, continued support for cross-border cooperation and practical investment in infrastructure, skills and innovation.

For Derry, Donegal and the wider North West, cross-border cooperation is not an optional extra. It is part of how the regional economy functions, from trade and tourism to skills, employment services, education and business growth.

Ten years after the referendum, businesses do not need more uncertainty. They need delivery, clarity and a policy environment that allows the North West’s all-island economy to grow.

Further reading: Centre for Cross Border Cooperation, 10 years on from the Brexit referendum.