The European Commission highlights that Johnson’s proposal “damages mutual trust”
The European Union saw this Monday with “significant concern” the beginning of the parliamentary process of the new law proposed by the Government of the United Kingdom to modify the Northern Ireland Protocol. And he raised the tone before London: “We want a positive and stable relationship with Great Britain, but unilateral actions are damaging mutual trust,” said the vice president of the European Commission and head of the ‘Brexit’ negotiations, Maros Sefcovic.
Brussels assures that “it will take proportionate actions” against the British authorities. Among them, it will consider continuing with the infringement procedure opened to the country in March 2021 and which had been paralyzed since September, while negotiations on ‘Brexit’ were carried out.
The Community Executive considers that the Northern Ireland Protocol “avoids a hard border in Ireland and protects the integrity of the single European market”, in addition to being a “fundamental part” of the peace agreement signed in 1998. It considers, therefore, that reforming that agreement is “unrealistic” and Maros Sefcovic went further: “The EU will not renegotiate the protocol,” he settled. Any such decision “would only bring greater legal uncertainty to the citizens and businesses of Northern Ireland,” he noted.
Ask for “commitment”
From Brussels they recognize the practical complications in the application of the protocol since the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU. However, they highlight the “constructive character” and “flexibility” that the Union has shown.
More specifically, the European Commission highlighted its work in signing agreements that facilitate the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She was also open to exploring “the potential of flexibility measures” for which she asked for “political intention and commitment” from the British authorities.
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