According to a newspaper report, an agreement to settle the long-standing dispute between Britain and the European Union (EU) over post-Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland is expected within the next two weeks.
The broad framework of the agreement is now clear and still has to be finally approved by the British government, the Telegraph newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The deal between the UK and the EU would mean that goods traveling from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland would no longer have to go through customs using a system of ‘red’ and ‘green’ routes.
According to the report, a new wording on the controversial role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Northern Ireland is also expected. Accordingly, the ECJ can only be appealed to as the last instance in disputes between Great Britain and the EU.
At the beginning of February, the British newspaper “The Times” reported on an agreement in the negotiations on the controversial Brexit-Northern Ireland protocol.
multifaceted conflict
The Northern Ireland Protocol provides for special customs rules for Northern Ireland in order to keep the border between the British province and the EU state of Ireland open – also to prevent the Northern Ireland conflict from flaring up again.
However, the agreement has created a de facto customs border in the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
The pro-British DUP is up in arms, fearing it will separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK, at least on a trade level.
On the other hand, there is Sinn Fein, which advocates secession from Great Britain and reunification with Ireland, which is part of the EU. (Reuters)
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