Brussels, 19 December (EFE).- The European Commission said on Monday that it opened today “a window of opportunity” to reach a comprehensive agreement with the British government on compliance with the Northern Ireland protocol, after extending until December 2025 a derogation to guarantee the supply of veterinary products from the United Kingdom.
That derogation was due to end on the last day of 2022, and as the date approached, concerns had grown in Belfast that there could be a shortage of plant protection products if the protocol, which Northern Ireland maintains, was fully implemented in ‘EU. customs union, but not to the rest of the UK, from where the province receives most of these goods.
“We understand these concerns and that is why we have acted,” said European Commission Vice-President in charge of post-Brexit relations with the UK, Maros Sefcovic, after a decision that also affects the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta.
“This is a practical solution to a practical problem and underscores a genuine commitment to engage constructively with the UK to find agreed solutions around the Protocol,” added Sefcovic, who was “convinced” that with today’s decision there is “a window of opportunity” to achieve this.
“I hope we can carry today’s positive announcement into other areas of our discussion,” he said.
Brussels and London agree that negotiations between the two to find a solution to the Northern Ireland protocol have improved since Rishi Sunak took office as prime minister and both sides have promised to speed up the search for a compromise.
Sunak insists on changing the aspects of this rule that the EU and UK agreed to after Brexit to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement and until they are agreed, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will stand by its refusal to form a government with nationalist Sinn Fein in Belfast.
This commercial border located in the Irish Sea is also a political barrier for the Protestant unionist community, which they say is differentiating the province and endangering its relations with the rest of the UK, especially now that nationalists want to move towards their factual history of reunifying the island of Ireland. EFE extension
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