Brexit Minister Frost is threatening to override the regulations from the Brexit Treaty.
The British government has tightened the tone in the dispute with the EU Commission over the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. Brexit Minister David Frost threatened to make use of an emergency clause and thereby override the provisions of the Brexit Treaty. “I call on the EU to take this seriously,” said Frost on Monday evening in the House of Lords. Otherwise you would commit a “serious mistake”. The EU Commission must also engage in real negotiations.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is intended to ensure that, despite Brexit, there are no goods controls between Northern Ireland, which belongs to the United Kingdom, and the EU member Ireland. This is a prerequisite for not endangering the fragile peace in the former civil war region of Northern Ireland. Instead, checks must now be carried out when goods are brought from England, Scotland or Wales to Northern Ireland. This creates problems in intra-British trade, for which London and Brussels hold each other responsible.
The EU Commission had recently shown itself to be open to practical solutions. However, she refuses to renegotiate the protocol as requested by London. An extension of the grace period for imports of chilled meat and sausage products unilaterally decided by the British government last week, Brussels initially let go in order to create room for negotiations.
(APA/dpa)