1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Northern Ireland (Prescribed Area) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 5th January 1988.

2.  In the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 "prescribed area"(2) shall mean the area in Northern Ireland adjoining and within twenty miles of the land boundary of Northern Ireland.

3.  The Northern Ireland (Prescribed Area) Regulations 1953(3) are revoked.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations delineate the area in Northern Ireland adjoining the land boundary and referred to in the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 as the "prescribed area". Within this area the Act provides control powers to assist in counteracting import and export smuggling.

The effect is to reduce the prescribed area to a strip of 20 miles from the land boundary from the previous limit of 40 miles.