London evokes an "impasse" in discussions with the European Union on Northern Ireland
Audio 01:08
James Cleverly, Minister for European Affairs, on January 24, 2022 in London.
© Alastair Grant AP
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
UK threatens to unilaterally pull out of post-Brexit trade deal and Northern Ireland protocol.
This clause of the agreement places Northern Ireland, one of the British nations, in the European market, and therefore creates a customs border between the region and the rest of the country.
A minister has again officially accused the European Union.
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With our correspondent in London,
Émeline Vin
London claims to no longer have to control the goods circulating between Great Britain and the island of Ireland.
The government believes that it was forced to sign the text which obliges it to do so.
In front of the deputies, James Cleverly, Minister in charge of European Affairs, denounces European stubbornness: “
The truth is that we are in a sort of impasse.
This is not for lack of will, but because of what we in the UK consider to be too limited a negotiating mandate from Mr Sefcovic's European team.
»
Fear of community tensions
James Cleverly is the voice of the unionist community of Northern Ireland, opposed to the protocol which it sees as a threat to British identity: “
The current situation does not work.
By extension, this causes
communal tensions in Northern Ireland
.
The challenge for us is now to protect the peace in Ireland, it is no longer a technical commercial problem.
I believe that is the difference between our position and that of the European Union.
»
In Northern Ireland, economic players are calling for stability.
For his part, the minister assures that London does not wish to interrupt negotiations with the EU and hopes to find a bilateral solution.
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To read also: Northern Ireland and Brexit: the Minister of Agriculture orders the end of controls in the Irish Sea
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