The government in London was asked from Brussels on Monday to moderate its language and to respect the Brexit treaty.

"It is important that the British government shuts down its rhetoric, is honest about the deal it signed and finds solutions within it," said EU Commission Vice-President Maroš Ševčovič, who is responsible for post-Brexit negotiations in Brussels -Negotiations with Secretary of State Liz Truss.

Ševčovič was reacting to threats from London that he would unilaterally withdraw from the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol in the Brexit Treaty if the talks did not quickly lead to a breakthrough.

Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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After the general election in Northern Ireland, newspapers quoted sources in the British Foreign Office who saw the talks with Šefčovič as “at the end of the road” and accused the EU Commission of a lack of flexibility.

According to the Daily Telegraph, however, there is disagreement in the cabinet about how to proceed towards the European Union.

Truss' hard line is said to face opposition from Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Special Secretary Michael Gove.

Truss is said to have considered making use of Article 16 of the treaty and suspending parts of it ahead of the Northern Ireland elections.

She also campaigned for a new law that would have "overwritten" the Northern Ireland Protocol.

It is now eagerly awaited in London whether and if and in what form the topic will be reflected in the "Queen's Speech" this Tuesday,

Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to use Article 16 several times last year.

The threat was not renewed during the crisis in Eastern Europe, but has been around again since the elections in Northern Ireland.

The background is the refusal of the unionist DUP to form a government as long as the protocol is in force.

The DUP, without which no "Power Sharing Agreement" with the victorious Sinn Féin is possible, sees the goods border created by the contract with Great Britain as "endangering the Union";

shipments from the UK have fallen by 20 per cent, it is argued.

In addition, a functioning government in Belfast must be based on cross-party consensus on constitutional issues.

EU does not want to renegotiate protocol as a whole

On Monday, the leaders of the parties represented in the Belfast Parliament met for the first time since the general election.

British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis, who also traveled to Belfast, reiterated that the "outstanding issues surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol need to be addressed".

His government still prefers an agreement with the EU, but will "not shy away from taking further steps if necessary".

The fragile part of the country deserves a "stable government," said Lewis.

The EU Ambassador to London, João Vale de Almeida, said on the BBC on Monday that the EU was ready to talk about further restrictions on border controls, but not to renegotiate the protocol as a whole.

In the past two months, Brussels has worked "hand in hand" with London, "because we share the same values ​​and have the same strategic concerns about the situation in Europe."

One should now be “inspired” by this and not return to the conflict-ridden time of the Brexit negotiations.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin also commented on the growing tensions.

The flexibility shown by the EU has "not been reciprocated" by the British government.

The most recent threats to unilaterally suspend controls at the goods border have made the European Union more “cautious” again.

Ireland is happy to help settle the conflict, Martin said, adding: "The political issue is more problematic than solving the actual trade issues around the protocol." According to the British newspaper The Guardian, diplomatic sources in Brussels have threatened "retaliatory measures" if should the government in London take unilateral steps.

Even in the shadow of the Ukraine war, the European Union would not be able to "ignore" such moves.