Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

EU offers cut in red tape in olive branch to UK over NI Brexit row

The proposals outlined by Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič aim to ease trade complications but will likely not meet UK demands to replace the Brexit protocol.

The European Commission has officially unveiled its eagerly-awaited proposals designed to ease the impact of post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland.

The olive branch from the EU includes plans for a large reduction in the number of checks on goods flowing from the British mainland to the UK province, a condition of the Brexit divorce terms.

The proposals were outlined by Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič — but although described as "far-reaching", they do not extend to eliminating the role of the European court in Northern Ireland's affairs, as demanded by the British government.

Šefčovič began his news conference in Brussels by saying the EU's top priority was to make sure the gains of the Good Friday Agreement were protected. This was the 1998 peace accord that ended decades of sectarian violence.

Brussels had entirely "turned our rules upside down and inside out" to find a solution, he added.

The commissioner said the plans would lead to a large reduction in checks on goods sent from Britain to Northern Ireland.

The proposals as set out by the Commission cover four key areas:

*  A bespoke solution for Northern Ireland on food, plant and animal health (so-called SPS issues) leading to an estimated 80% cut in checks
*  Flexible customs formalities to ease the movement of goods from Britain to Northern Ireland, reducing paperwork by half
*  'Enhanced engagement' with interested parties in Northern Ireland to improve transparency and communication
*  Uninterrupted long-term supply of medicines from Britain to Northern Ireland

"I have listened to and engaged with Northern Irish stakeholders. Today's proposals are our genuine response to their concerns. We have put a lot of hard work into them to make a tangible change on the ground, in response to the concerns raised by the people and businesses of Northern Ireland," Šefčovič said.


But speaking at the news conference, he would not be drawn on the absence of any proposed changes concerning the European court.

The UK has insisted it wants final oversight over any trade disputes to be subject to independent arbitration, rather than the EU's top court.

“It’s very clear that we cannot have access to the single market without the supervision of the European Court of Justice,” Sefcovic said.

On Tuesday the UK Brexit Minister David Frost said the Northern Ireland Protocol — the international treaty setting out the new arrangements — was not working and urged the EU to replace it, offering the Commission a "new legal text".

The disruption the protocol has brought to internal UK trade has infuriated British unionists, who oppose Northern Ireland being treated differently from the rest of the UK.

The so-called "Irish Sea" border was negotiated as part of the Northern Ireland Protocol, part of the binding EU withdrawal treaty. It keeps the North inside the EU's customs territory and single market for goods, in order to keep an open land border with the Irish Republic to the south.

Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of Northern Ireland's unionist DUP party said "there is no escaping the reality that the Northern Ireland Protocol has harmed Northern Ireland, both in economic and constitutional terms."

He added that his party would study the proposed changes offered by the EU, but insisted "short-term fixes will not solve the problems that have beset the United Kingdom internal market."

There are fears in EU circles that if differences cannot be resolved, Boris Johnson's government may go ahead with its threat to suspend the protocol altogether under its Article 16 provision. This would further damage relations and it's thought could even provoke a trade war.

Commission experts are to travel to London to begin detailed talks on the proposals. Šefčovič is to meet the UK's Brexit Minister Lord Frost in Brussels on Friday.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
×