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Brexit: Northern Ireland becomes a problem again between the EU and Boris Johnson

2020-09-08T12:00:31.586Z


A major controversy with the EU appeared to have already been resolved, but the British government is now planning to revise trade agreements in Northern Ireland. Is it all just theatrical thunder in London?


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The seemingly endless negotiations continue: a pro-European man in London

Photo: TOLGA AKMEN / AFP

Negotiations between the European Union and Great Britain have stalled for weeks.

Now one of the few successfully negotiated milestones may be up for grabs again - and the timing should not be a coincidence:

  • This Tuesday, Brussels and London will start a new round of negotiations to clarify the future relationship between the EU and Great Britain after the country left the confederation in January.

  • At the same time, the government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to propose several laws from Wednesday that allow a revision of parts of the exit agreement already concluded with the EU.

The move concerns regulations on Northern Ireland - these have been the central point of contention in the Brexit negotiations for years:

  • Johnson's predecessor Theresa May had failed after years of struggle with her "backstop" proposal.

  • Johnson subsequently signed a contract that appeared to largely solve the problem.

Among other things, it is about which goods must be checked between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom - i.e. the parts of England, Scotland and Wales.

According to the agreement, this applies in principle to all goods:

  • The UK

    argues that goods destined to remain in Northern Ireland should be exempted.

    These are, for example, deliveries to Northern Irish supermarkets from logistics centers on the British Isles.

  • The

    EU

    , on the other hand, believes that all goods from Northern Ireland could potentially get on to Ireland and thus into the EU - with customs duties being due.

  • Since according to the

    existing contract

    between the EU and Great Britain no customs controls should take place on the Northern Irish-Irish border, Great Britain must ensure this between Northern Ireland and the rest of its own parts of the country.

By contractually agreeing to this regulation, Johnson made an unexpected U-turn in January that was gratifying for the EU.

While for the prime minister the undisturbed unity between the different parts of the country was in the foreground, the EU insisted on a permeable inner-Irish border.

This was supposed to keep the peace after decades of conflict on the Irish island and to avert economic damage for the EU country Ireland.

Johnson's contractual commitments to the EU, however, were in direct contradiction to several of his promises.

Icon: enlarge

Once again in full swing: Boris Johnson

Photo: Mark Thomas / i-Images / imago images / i Images

With the intention of legally permitting a unilateral revision of the already agreed passages, the British government provoked largely negative reactions inside and outside the country:

  • The

    British opposition leader Keir Starmer

    accused Johnson of breaking his word in his commitments to the EU and warned that this would damage Britain's credibility in future negotiations around the world.

  • The

    former Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond

    advised the public of the government, they should refrain from an "incredibly dangerous step" that would the British "position on the world stage massive damage".

  • Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

    tweeted that she "trusts the British government to adhere to the exit agreement" - this is an "obligation under international law".

  • Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney

    , who was involved in negotiating the current Brexit agreements, also wrote on Twitter that any changes to the agreement would be "very unwise".

A UK government spokesman said the UK would comply with the Northern Ireland Protocol regardless of whether further treaties with the EU were concluded.

The revisions that are now being sought are, however, necessary to prepare trade in Northern Ireland in the event of the failure of the negotiations.

Johnson's approach is consistent.

He has ruled out customs duties on goods that are transported between Northern Ireland and Great Britain several times - he made this clear before signing contracts with the EU.

Bill as a threatening gesture

In fact, a unilateral change in the agreed rules would be a breach of international law - and could thus become a case for the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

For the upcoming week of negotiations, the British government is sending the unmistakable signal that it wants to assert its own interests under all circumstances.

At the same time, it underpins its announcement that the negotiations will fail if the EU does not respond to British demands.

With all the U-turns and the readiness to let the negotiations collapse, one fact remains unchanged: That would be many times more damaging for Great Britain than for the European negotiating partners.

Icon: The mirror

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-09-08

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