Intentions for change are straining tensions between Britain and the EU, although Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called the bill a small simplification.
The British government is expected today on Monday to pass a bill that will unilaterally amend the Brexit agreement in Northern Ireland.
As early as May, the British government announced its intention to make significant changes to the trade rules of the Protocol on Northern Ireland and Ireland. The EU has stated that it is not possible to decide unilaterally on the content of the protocol.
What trade rules are now in place?
The Northern Ireland Protocol is a key part of the Brexit Agreement. It has kept Northern Ireland in the EU internal market since Brexit since January 2020.
According to the protocol, certain products, such as meat and eggs, are subject to import clearance when they are exported from Britain to Northern Ireland. Following the inquiry, it will be possible to re-export the products from Northern Ireland to the EU country Ireland across the border.
The protocol created a customs border for the Irish Sea. This avoided the creation of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The emergence of a land border has been prevented because of the turbulent history of the region: the Good Friday Peace Treaty of 1998 forbids a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Intentions for change are straining tensions between Britain and the EU, even the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has therefore named the bill a small simplification.
– It is a bureaucratic change that needs to be made. Frankly, it’s a relatively trivial adjustment, Johnson told AFP news agency.
What kind of proposal is expected from the UK?
The new British trade rules are expected to aim to remove import clearances for products that remain in Northern Ireland.
In future, import clearance would only be carried out for products exported to Ireland. This would mean that the EU would rely on British customs and reduce the control of the European Court of Justice in the region.
In addition, the new trade rules are expected to allow for double regulation: exporters could choose to comply with EU or British standards.
British opposition MPs have accused the country’s government of being irresponsible.
Vice – President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic has said that unilateral action is undermining mutual trust between the EU and Britain.
The EU is expected to provide a more detailed response as soon as Britain’s detailed plans have been made public. According to the BBC (switching to another service) The European Commission is expected to take legal action against the UK.
Foreign minister Liz Trussin according to the current protocol has caused problems that could not have been foreseen when the agreement was signed.
According to him, the agreement has led to unnecessary bureaucracy for exporting companies.
The new trade rules are also supported by the Unionist parties in Northern Ireland, such as the DUP. In its view, current practices undermine the alliance between Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain.