EU rejects post-Brexit renegotiation prospects with Northern Ireland

The European Union (EU) will not agree to renegotiate Northern Ireland (NI) protocol with the United Kingdon (UK), the European Commission on Wednesday announced, as the UK demanded the changes to the post-Brexit arrangements. “We cannot go on as we are,” Brexit minister David Frost told the Westminster parliament, as Northern Ireland's political parties stood divided on Brexit negotiations. 

UK and EU agreed to a Northern Ireland or NI Protocol in 2019 as part of the post-Brexit deal. As UK left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020, during the negotiations, both the EU and the UK had agreed that there would be no new checks on goods crossing the border between NI and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). This would keep NI in line with the single market. There have been, however, multiple instances of checks subjected on goods between Britain and Northern Ireland, a major reason for discord between the EU and EU that has created friction between the two governments, attracting flak from trade unionists. 

The UK now demands “significant change” including a “standstill period” that would freeze legal actions on part of the EU. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson appealed that the European Union should rewrite parts of the withdrawal agreement, and there have been reports that Brexit minister David Frost might invoke Article 16, which would hand over the power to either side, EU or the UK to unilaterally scrap parts of the NI protocol. Frost slammed the immense disruption to trade and the economy in NI and called for a standstill period that would eliminate certification requirements for Great Britain-bound goods and cargoes.

"The Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland is the joint solution that the EU found with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Lord David Frost – and was ratified by the UK Parliament – to address the unique challenges that Brexit, and the type of Brexit chosen by the British government, poses for the island of Ireland," Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič said in a statement. 

"Its aim is to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement in all its parts, maintain peace and stability in Northern Ireland, avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, while preserving the integrity of the EU Single Market," he reminded.

 NI protocol was a 'joint solution,' reminds EU's VP

In a statement on July 21, European Commission vice president Maroš Šefcovic reiterated that the NI protocol was a “joint solution” that was reached in mutual cooperation with UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson and was ratified by the UK parliament. “Respecting international legal obligations is of paramount importance,” he said. Furthermore, he said that the EU last month exposed its plan to ease the implementation of NI protocol on the border including to the medicines supply from the UK to Ireland. 

“We take note of the statement made by Lord Frost today. We will continue to engage with the UK, also on the suggestions made today.We are ready to continue to seek creative solutions, within the framework of the protocol, in the interest of all communities in Northern Ireland. However, we will not agree to a renegotiation of the protocol,” Šefcovic's statement read on Wednesday. "We must prioritise stability and predictability in Northern Ireland."