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LAST UPDATE | 9 Jun 2021
THE EU HAS warned it is at “a crossroads in our relationship with the UK” and “patience is very, very, very thin” as the two sides failed to make any breakthroughs on issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Talks between European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic and Brexit minister David Frost, aimed at ending the deadlock over the implementation of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in Northern Ireland, ended without significant progress today.
Following a three-and-a-half hour meeting with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, Brexit minister David Frost said they had had a “frank and honest” discussion and had agreed to continue the negotiations.
“There weren’t any breakthroughs. There aren’t any breakdowns either and we’re going to carry on talking,” he said.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of continuing tensions over checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as required under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the agreement.
Frost refused to rule out the prospect that the UK could unilaterally delay the implementation of checks on chilled meats – due to come in at the end of the month – if there was no agreement before then.
Ahead of the meeting, Sefcovic had raised the prospect that such a move could trigger a trade war, saying the EU would respond “firmly and resolutely” if the UK failed to meet its international treaty obligations.
Frost said: “Obviously we did discuss that subject amongst many others today. There weren’t any breakthroughs on it and we continue to consider all our options on that and many other issues.”
He added: “What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland and allow things to return to normal.
The NI Protocol has failed and must be removedhttps://t.co/UmUDt5P9Rp pic.twitter.com/YunGFmhhUv
— Edwin Poots MLA (@edwinpootsmla) June 9, 2021
“What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the protocol in an extremely purist way. The reality is that it’s a very balanced document that’s designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.
“It’s obviously best to find a negotiated agreement if we can and that’s what we are really intending to do. If we can’t, and we’re working very hard to do it, then obviously we consider all our options for next steps.”
‘Cross-retaliation’
At a press conference after the talks, Sefcovic said the bloc had not ruled out “cross-retaliation” if the UK does not abide by the agreement.
He refused to set a deadline by which the EU could take further steps, but warned “patience really is very, very, very thin”.
Sefcovic insisted he came to London to “find the solution” but options on the table included the suspension of co-operation in certain sectors and quota tariffs.
“The trust, which will be at the heart of every partnership, needs to be restored,” he said.
“It might be that our British partners could not have fully estimated what will be the consequences of the Brexit they have chosen,” Sefovic said.
“What it would mean to leave the single market, the customs union, how complex it can be for businesses, for the Government, for IT systems, for training of personnel.
“And now I will say gradually more and more things are coming to the table… some of them which we’ve foreseen, some of them which were unforeseen.”
In a statement issued after the meeting the British government expressed concern that there had been no “substantive progress” across a range of issues and warned there was a danger the supply of medicines could be affected unless there was an early breakthrough.
“The UK will continue to put forward detailed proposals, as we have throughout this year, and looks forward to discussing any proposals the EU may put forward,” it said.
“There is an urgent need for further discussions in order to make real progress, particularly to avoid disruption to critical supplies such as medicines.”
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The UK agreed to the protocol as a compromise towards securing a trade agreement with the EU.
Now they are saying that compromise must be negotiated.
Who would trust them.
@Rúraíocht: exactly, tell them where to go, what are the eu going to get in return, more fishing rights ??
@Rúraíocht: Apparently, the solution is simple… to.
The Brexiteers …if us Irish just go back to being subject to UK law then their problem will be sorted…
@Alan Mulcahy: I just got sick in my mouth
@Rúraíocht: We have been aware of the UK breaking agreements for generations. With this however the rest of the world sees their government for what they are. The amount of trust they will lose worldwide over this will be massive.
@Rúraíocht: Who would trust Borris?
Notice to the rest of the world—-Thinking of doing a trade deal with (——-) and getting it all in writing and protecting yourself with a law an all?……Save yourselves a massive headache — don’t do it.
The negotiations are already done ffs, the UK still think they are a major player, they’re delusional. The EU should take a hard line with them.
Why dont they get edwin poots to sort it out he knows everything
@john malonoy: Poots said on the BBC that if it came to it. ‘I would not do the checks’ How is he going to do that? How could he stop the checks, he doesn’t control the ports. Was this a threat of civil disorder or violence – after all he does control or has influence over the thugs?
@Pádraic Ó Braonáin: That DUP where always good at getting the loyalists to do there dirty work im sure poots will keep the tradition going
I thought English tears were delicious but then I got loads of unionist tears now it’s so sweet I’m afraid I’m going to loose a foot
@Simon Fusco: OMG…Dont you know in 2024 NI will vote to keep the protocol or get rid of it? If they vote to get rid of it which they probably will because people from all sides cant get their usual products and brands in the shops, even if business change their suppliers and buy from the EU the shelf price will sky rocket making people in NI poorer.
When they vote to get rid of the protocol and move the back to the land the EU and Ireland will not be able to use the GFA as a stick to beat the Brits with because it will have been NI choice, when the border moves it will then be down to Ireland to protect the EU single market or the EU will protect it from mainland Europe.
Boris will not change UK standards and will carry on kicking the can down the road to 2024, if the Irish were wise they would try and get the EU to soften the checks on goods that go from GB to NI, and sold in NI, goods that will not be entering Ireland so in 2024 NI will vote to keep the protocol.
@On the right side: That’s called thinking ahead. Hopefully the powers that be do a little bit of it. As an island, we stand to lose so much. As it stands, N.I. Could and should be gaining so much from their current position. Unfortunately I think this island is doomed. We couldn’t agree on what day it is never mind making this a better place for everyone.
@On the right side: As you were told yesterday the demographics of the north is changing and your “fleg” wavers dont have the numbers. Why the panic to get rid of Arlene? It wont be up to lreland to protect the single market, the EU is the bigger trading block so a no deal affects the UK more. Ye almost lost yer minds when access to the continent was slowed down and had a traffic jam leading to Dover.
@On the right side: you keep pushing this NI will vote to get rid of the protocol, as if it is a solution to the UK’s inability to implement the agreement it made with the EU.
When in reality voting to get rid of it in 2024 will only result in a hard border on the island of Ireland and for people that live on both sides of the border, that’s not a solution to anything.
And once the reality of that hard border is felt in northern irelands business community, it will be too late to turn back the clock, much like the way the reality of glorious brexit is being felt now, only much worse.
@On the right side: sure what’s the worst thing that could happen if they vote to end the protocol in 2024 you do know it’s 2021 so you think nothing will happen between now and 3 years in the future. With Joe Biden on his way to the UK right now. Your acting like the unionists have a leg to stand on what’s there target? Because the nationalists haven’t done anything attacking an English target isn’t going to do anything so the only thing they can attack is an EU target and I think that would be a very funny thing for them to do
@On the right side: Keep on Dreaming, you are so far off the mark its funny. You had the power to affect the agreement but went to your safe word. NO.
Now you have very little power at all. In the British Parliament you are seat fillers, in the NI Assembly you are falling apart.
You had you chance to get things right and refused.
Ot is your fault, stop trying to blame everybody else, the GOOD FRIDAY AGGREEMENT, the GFA is not enough for such a wonderful agreement.
@David Van-Standen: Hard border is not possible due to the Good Friday Aggrement and that is not being changed
@On the right side: won’t be long and that rag your flying will be antique toilet paper.
@On the right side: ah, a racist anti-vaxxer – I’m sure you’ve got some very sensible things to say.
@On the right side: That would be terrible NI dairy industry will get wiped out overnight. Milk pool is mixed on the island. Segregation is too costly, creameries will just stop processing milk from NI farmers.
@On the right side: Your avatar really shows your mentality.
@On the right side: Stormont can vote to get rid of the NIP it matters not a jot. The international agreement is between the EU and UK.
Why do you think Ireland agreed to a Stormont vote? That’s right, it matters not a jot.
Northern Ireland to Boris Johnson must feel like the family member who’s life is a mess and is always asking to borrow money from u
Our cousin Joe from America will tell them not to mess with the GFA otherwise there will be no UK/ USA trade deal soon.
The UK should have know this was coming.
Reap what you sow.
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