Northern Ireland Protocol
Brussels / London (dpa) – The dispute over the Brexit special rules for Northern Ireland is escalating.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made it clear to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday that the EU is ruling out any change to the agreed rules. “We will not renegotiate,” she said after a phone call with Johnson. The EU will therefore continue to be flexible and enable creative solutions to problems – but the solutions must be found within the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.
According to a spokesman, Johnson had once again personally advocated “significant changes” to the protocol in the phone call. The existing mechanisms could not have found solutions to the current problems, it said. According to a message, Johnson also advertised the renegotiations by telephone on Thursday with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
Specifically, Britain wants to get rid of the goods controls for food and other goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom to a large extent. The controls were agreed by both sides in the Brexit agreement to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the EU member Republic of Ireland. Otherwise the conflict in the former civil war region is expected to flare up again.
If Great Britain does not adhere to control rules in the long term, it has to expect a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice and, ultimately, sanctions from the EU. Brussels laid the foundation for the lawsuit in March when it initiated what are known as infringement proceedings. This could soon be taken forward with the Commission sending a reasoned opinion to London. This would be a formal request to abide by the contractual arrangements. If the UK remains stubborn, the Commission can refer the case to the Court of Justice.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210722-99-482091 / 2
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