Representatives of the European Union and the UK will meet again this week to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol, reports the news channel RTE. It is the first time since February that the parties have met to discuss the Brexit component.-
These are the so-called technical talks, which mainly look at how to improve the situation in Northern Ireland. As part of Brexit, Northern Ireland remained in the European single market, while the rest of the UK left. By keeping Northern Ireland within it, the Good Friday Agreement managed to survive.
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Although the British themselves came up with this solution, they now want to get rid of this deal. In the current situation, customs controls have to take place when products go from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. According to the British, these controls undermine the British internal market. They then want to get rid of those controls.
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In May, then foreign minister (and now prime minister) Liz Truss introduced legislation to unilaterally adjust Brexit deals. This was against Brussels sore leg. The EU has therefore initiated several criminal proceedings which are still ongoing.
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Due to these heightened tensions, the parties have not sat at the negotiating table since 11 February. But according to the Irish news channel RTE the parties will still speak with “greater optimism”. Ultimately, the talks should lead to the resolution of several technical issues relating to Northern Ireland’s special position after Brexit.
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