London openly threatens to withdraw from Northern Irish protocol
David Frost claims that the painfully negotiated text with the European Union endangers the stability of Northern Ireland.
- PRU / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
As expected, London is threatening to suspend the Northern Irish protocol which allows the British province to continue to be part of the European single market.
It was David Frost who declared it this Tuesday, October 12: the British Minister for Brexit affirms that this text negotiated in pain with the European Union endangers the stability of Northern Ireland, and that it is necessary therefore amend it in depth.
Otherwise, he said, the UK will exit the protocol, which could have very serious consequences.
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“
The Northern Irish protocol is not working and it needs to be changed.
It is a statement of failure in due form which is drawn up by the British Minister in charge of relations with Europe.
For David Frost, this agreement must therefore be radically renegotiated by attacking in particular the place accorded in the protocol to European courts: “
The role of the European Court of Justice in Northern Ireland does not allow any flexibility in the application of the protocol.
And without a new deal on this, the protocol will not have the support it needs to survive.
"
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To read also: The British want to renegotiate the Northern Irish protocol
The threat of article 16
This questioning of the role played by the European Court of Justice goes well beyond the concessions that could be accepted by Brussels to save the protocol.
But David Frost assures him, his government is ready if necessary to trigger Article 16 which allows him to withdraw from the agreement.
“
Northern Ireland is not a European territory,
” he said
.
It is our responsibility to preserve the peace there and this may entail, if necessary, the use of article 16. We will not go cheerfully in this direction, but it is our fundamental responsibility and we cannot. give it up until the problem has been resolved.
"
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See also:
Northern Ireland: London wants to renegotiate post-Brexit measures
This very hard position comes as the European Commission is due to formulate its own proposals on Wednesday.
The stakes are high because a withdrawal of the protocol would have the immediate consequence of re-establishing a land border between the two Ireland.
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