/ world today news/ The European Commission does not rule out “all available measures” being applied to Great Britain if British Foreign Minister Liz Truss unilaterally amends the Northern Ireland Protocol, the agreement on Northern Ireland signed in 2019 between London and Brussels before the release of Great Britain from the European Union. Translated from the language of diplomacy, this means declaring a trade war.
The head of the Foreign Office did not announce details of the changes, but most likely the main one will be the refusal of London to check goods that are sent from Britain to Northern Ireland, but are not destined for Ireland. Liz Truss hinted at the possibility of creating a so-called “green corridor” through which such goods would be exempt from inspection at Northern Ireland ports.
The Republic of Ireland has a 500km land border with six counties in the north-east of the island which are still part of Great Britain. London believes that changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol are necessary as it has been a long time since it was signed and much has changed. Liz Truss stressed that the Protocol in its current form threatens the Belfast Agreement between London and Dublin, signed in April 1998 to resolve the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The situation in Northern Ireland changed dramatically two weeks ago after the parliamentary elections on May 5, which were won by the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party, which advocates the unification of Northern Ireland with Ireland. The Second Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) advocates keeping the area as part of the UK and refuses to enter a coalition government unless the protocol is amended. In addition, the leader of the DUP Geoffrey Donaldson emphasized that the “unionists” do not intend to wait long for changes.
Continent reaction to London’s plans from the Continent. It can be summed up in two words – outrage and shock. Liz Truss has already explained Britain’s motivation over the phone to Maros Šefrović, Ursula von der Leyen’s deputy in charge of relations with London in the EU. Šefrović responded by suggesting in no uncertain terms that changing the Northern Ireland Protocol unilaterally could cost the British a free trade agreement with a united Europe.
“Unilateral actions are contrary to international agreements and therefore unacceptable,” the EC vice president said in a statement, adding that if London changes the protocol without Brussels’ consent, then Europe will resort to all means at its disposal. This could include imposing tariffs on goods from the UK or even freezing the entire EU-UK free trade agreement signed in 2020.
As the Guardian writes, Brussels has not yet made a final decision on how to act if London unilaterally amends the Northern Ireland Protocol. European officials are still hoping for the possibility of finding a compromise at the negotiating table, but appear to be determined in Brussels that they have no intention of allowing London to unilaterally change the agreement.
They still haven’t decided, it seems, with a solution to the problem in London. Lawyers are talking about two possible options for Britain. Liz Truss and Boris Johnson can suspend certain clauses of the Protocol using its extraordinary Article 16. Signatories have the right to do so if they decide that the operation of the Protocol has led to “serious economic, social or environmental hardship”. Article 16, however, implies a change only in certain paragraphs, but not a rejection of the entire protocol.
London could also use British law to unilaterally amend the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Across the ocean, they are worried about another worsening of relations between London and Brussels. Washington fears that disputes over Northern Ireland will destroy the unity of the collective West and weaken its fight against Russia, in which Britain plays a very active role. Influential Congressman Richard Neal is heading to Europe in the coming days at the head of a representative delegation to calm passions among America’s allies. He has already called on London and Brussels to find a mutually beneficial and acceptable solution to the problem. The delegation will visit London, Brussels, Belfast and Dublin.
Translation: V. Sergeev
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