Feeding into the work of the Joint Committee is the Specialised Committee. It is provided for in Article 165 of the Withdrawal Agreement and, like the Joint Committee comprises EU and UK representatives, but at senior civil servant level. Its responsibilities are set out in Article 14 of the Protocol. These include facilitating the implementation and application of the Protocol; examining proposals concerning the Protocol’s implementation and application from the North-South Ministerial Council and North-South Implementation bodies set up under the 1998 Agreement; considering ‘any matter of relevance to Article 2 of the Protocol brought to its attention by the human rights and equality bodies set up pursuant to the 1998 Agreement; discussing any point raised by the Union or the United Kingdom that is of relevance to the Protocol and gives rise to a difficulty; and making recommendations to the Joint Committee as regards the functioning of the Protocol.

With the Windsor Framework (2023), the EU and the UK Government agreed for the Specialised Committee to meet in two additional formations to consider revised arrangements concenting VAT and excise, and issues concerning regulatory divergence 

• • an Enhanced Coordination Mechanism on VAT and excise concerning goods
  • a Special Body on Goods

Agreement was also reached on adjusting the name of the Specialised Committee. It now operates as the Specialised Committee on the implementation of the Windsor Framework.

The Specialised Committee's rules of procedure are set out in Annex VIII to the Withdrawal Agreement. For discussions of the Specialised Committee roles see Protocol Analysis.

The EU's position in the Specialised Committee is determined in line with Article 2 of Council Decision (EU) 2020/135. The Decision also provides for member state representatives to accompany the Commission at meetings. Ireland is specifically mentioned, although representatives of other member states have also attended meetings. 

The UK government is committed to ensuring that representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to be part of the UK delegation in any meetings of the Specialised Committee discussing Northern Ireland-specific matters which are also being attended by the Irish Government as part of the EU delegation.

The Specialised Committee meets at least once a year. Details of the meetings are provided below.

Date	Meeting	Issues Covered
25.04.2024	Meeting: agenda
24.01.2024	Meeting: agenda, joint statement	Included: stock take on work undertaken to implement the Windsor Framework,  especially concerning agri-food and customs; agreement to continue meeting regularly to monitor and ensure the full implementation of all the elements of the Framework in a faithful way; stock take of work of JCWG and its sub-groups; reiteration of importance of joint engagement with NI stakeholders
20.09.2023	Meeting: agenda, joint statement	Included: stock take on work undertaken to implement the Windsor Framework, agreed to continue meeting regularly, to monitor and ensure the full implementation of all the elements of the Framework in a faithful way; stock take of work of JCWG and its sub-groups; reiteration of importance of joint engagement with NI stakeholders
23.06.2023	Meeting: agenda, joint statement	Included: stock take on work undertaken to implement the Windsor Framework and recent guidance published to support implementation, welcoming of EU's adoption of legislation fulfilling commitments on agri-food, medicines, tariff rate quotas and customs, agreement to continue meeting regularly, to monitor and ensure the full implementation of all the elements of the Framework in a timely way; stock take of work of JCWG; welcoming of establishment of Enhanced Coordination Mechanism on VAT and Excise and JCWG sub-groups; reiteration of importance of joint engagement with NI stakeholders.
15.05.2023	Specialised Committee - Enhanced Coordination Mechanism on VAT and excise: agenda;
27.04.2023	Meeting: agenda; Joint Statement	Included: stock take on work undertaken to implement the Windsor Framework including as regards progress of legislation to address movement of goods, agri-food, medicines and VAT & excise; noted the adoption of amended rules of JCWG procedure and discussed establishment of sub-groups; reiteration of importance of engagement with NI stakeholders.
08.03.2022	Tenth Meeting: no agenda; Joint Statement	Included: stocktake of implementation; determination to address outstanding issues via 'durable solutions'; stocktake of the work of the JCWG; committment to NI stakeholder engagement.
24.09.2021	Ninth Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: access to relevant customs databases; status of establishing Border Control Posts; implementation of flexibilities regarding GB-NI movement of live animals; stocktake of the work of the. JCWG; continuation of joint UK and EU engagement with NI stakeholders.
19.07.2021	Eighth Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included:  stocktake of implementation; status of grace periods on chilled meats; proposed solutions to facilitate GB-NI movement of live animals; disagreement on outstanding issues regarding customs, SPS and movement of goods; continuation of joint UK and EU engagement with NI stakeholders.
26.03.2021	Seventh Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: stocktake of implementation; stocktake of outstanding issues and ways forward; commitments to continue engagement with NI stakeholders.
23.02.2021	Sixth Meeting: no agenda; no statements issued
17.12.2020	Fifth Meeting: no agenda; no statements issued
05.11.2020	Fourth Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: stocktake on implementation; progress on issues related to VAT, customs, Single Electricity Market and Border Control Posts; the application of EU legislation in the area of medicines; progress on draft decisions to be taken by the Joint Committee.
09.10.2020	Third Meeting: agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: stocktake on implementation; conclusion of discussions on upcoming Joint Committee decisions; status of Border Control Posts; progress in advance of the end of the Transition Period.
16.07.2020	Second Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: stocktake on implementation; progress of technical discussions on a range of issues regarding the Protocol; preparations in advance of the end of the Transition Period.
30.04.2020	First Meeting: no agenda; statements - European Commission, UK Government	Included: updates on the implementation of the Protocol; prepatory work in advance of future decisions to be taken by the Joint Committee; reaffirmation of respective UK and EU commitments made under the Protocol.