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James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, will discuss the Northern Ireland protocol in a call with the European Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič this afternoon, PA Media reports. They will…
2023-02-20 06:41:36
Article from www.theguardian.com
The United Kingdom government has delayed a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol which had been intended to provide a legal framework for post-Brexit arrangements in the region.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed the news after concerns raised by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Tory Brexiteer MPs made it clear that they would not accept any arrangement without greater assurance that Northern Ireland would not be left behind.
The Northern Ireland protocol, which was made part of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement, is intended to support trade and peace in the region by preventing a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Under the protocol, Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU rules on goods, creating a separate status for the region within the UK.
However, the DUP and some Brexiteer MPs have argued that the protocol threatens the constitutional integrity of the UK by creating what they view as a “border in the Irish Sea”. They are also concerned about the UK having to give the EU access to UK fishing waters, and the risk that Northern Irish businesses might be put at a disadvantage if the protocol goes ahead.
The UK government has been in negotiations with the EU to try and reach an agreement, with Sunak describing the talks as “very intensive” but insisting “we’ve not quite got there yet”. Sunak has said that the UK will not agree to a deal which puts Northern Ireland’s future at risk, and that any arrangement must ensure that Northern Ireland will not face additional trade bureaucracy or economic harms.
The delay in reaching a deal has prompted concerns that UK-EU friction over the Northern Ireland Protocol could spiral into a wider trade conflict. Sunak has said, however, that the government remains committed to finding an agreement that works for both sides, while the EU has insisted that it will not be compromising on the integrity of the single market.
The future of the Northern Ireland Protocol has yet to be determined. With the clock ticking, Sunak has said that he is “confident” an agreement will be reached through continued negotiations, although a clear resolution is yet to be seen.