Northern Ireland Protocol: London threatens an emergency clause in the Brexit treaty

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Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland

Photo: Paul Faith / AFP

New round in the dispute between Great Britain and the EU over the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol.

The British 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 in the House of Lords.

Otherwise Brussels would make a "serious mistake," warned Frost.

The European Commission had to get involved 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 Republic of Ireland. This is a prerequisite for not endangering the fragile peace in the former civil war region. 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.

The German Ambassador in London, Andreas Michaelis, commented ironically on the threat from the British: “It looks like we are entering a new phase with regard to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Just as the EU is becoming more pragmatic and understanding, the UK is taking a less flexible position, «he wrote on Twitter.

That could be called "collaborative implementation," he added.

as / dpa