London wants to unilaterally override the Brexit agreements. A bill passed the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. The EU Commission is now taking action.
The European Commission on Friday in Northern Ireland– Dispute initiated four new cases against Great Britain. The EU authority accuses London of using essential parts of the protocol on the post-Brexit trade agreements for Northern Ireland not to have complied. The move follows the release of the draft law Northern Ireland– Minutes by the House of Commons in the UK Parliament on Wednesday.
With the planned law, the Brexit agreements on the British province should be able to be unilaterally overridden by London. The EU had previously expressed its concern about the project and threatened consequences. Infringement procedures can lead to a claim before the European Court of Justice and result in a fine.
Waiting for the summer break to end
However, before the law can come into force, it still has to go through the second chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords. That should happen after the summer break. The draft is likely to meet with more resistance in the upper house. Should the government prevail with the plans, however, there should be serious upheavals with Brussels. In the worst case, a trade war threatens.
With the proposed legislation, the government in London wants to force Brussels to accept the agreement on the special status for Northern Ireland opens again. The EU Commission strictly excludes this and instead wants to negotiate solutions within the framework of the existing agreement.
Controversy over the European single market
That Northern Ireland-Protocol stipulates that the province will remain part of the EU internal market and the European Customs Union. This was intended to prevent goods controls at the border with EU member Ireland in order to prevent the conflict between supporters and opponents of a unification of the two parts of Ireland flaring up again. However, checks are now necessary between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The government in London wants to subsequently lift this consequence, but without presenting an alternative solution.
(APA/Reuters/dpa)