Thank you very much Cathaoirleach, Senators.

I want to just thank you for the invitation to join you this morning because it’s very timely.

Next week on June 23rd – we will mark the 5-year anniversary of the UK’s referendum to leave the European Union.

And while I don’t intend to rehash the decision or even the events of the last five years, it’s true to say that “Getting Brexit Done” was – and indeed is – much easier said than done.

I think it is also worth noting that when it comes to the implications for Ireland and Northern Ireland, they were known 5 years ago.

And indeed Sir John Major and Tony Blair came together in Derry and pointed out the realities of Brexit and the implications for Ireland, that the Irish invisible border would become the frontier between the UK and the European Union.

And in fact, Brexit reintroduced the word border – which had long been forgotten – and reintroduced the implications for that word – border – for the island of Ireland.    

It’s sad to say that those concerns were dismissed, really out of hand, by Leave campaigners and they didn’t even really make a ripple in the overall campaign and debate around Brexit. But if you look at 5 years on – and it’s quite extraordinary to think it’s 5 years on – these issues are confronting us – and some I think are still in denial.

So formally on January 1 of this year Brexit took place. And we are now actively implementing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement.

And as you know my colleague Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič is responsible for monitoring their implementation, and co-chairs the Joint Committee and the Partnership Council, with Lord Frost as his UK counterpart.

I really want to stress very strongly this morning to the committee that we want a good relationship with the United Kingdom as a close neighbour and a partner.

And we believe that the relationship needs to be built on trust. And without trust, we are nowhere.

The TCA and the Withdrawal Agreement provide the framework for the EU’s relations with the UK.

And the TCA represents the best possible outcome given the UK’s choice of a hard Brexit.

But we got as good a result as was possible within those limits: comprehensive access to the UK market with zero quotas and zero tariffs, alongside a robust level playing field.

And the TCA gives us the tools that we need to build a positive and stable relationship with the United Kingdom.

And it gives us the tools to monitor the UK’s commitments and to guard against divergence.

Now of course, full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement is also a prerequisite for a good relationship built on trust.

And after four years of difficult negotiations, the European Union and the United Kingdom agreed the Protocol, together.

It remains the best and only possible solution to ensure peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland and protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement, while protecting the integrity of the EU’s Single Market.

And the Protocol reflects the political choices of the United Kingdom – indeed the Protocol was a UK choice.

Because as you will recall in the beginning the EU negotiated a backstop with the then Prime Minister Theresa May.

And then latterly, Boris Johnson pushed to renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement, and he agreed the Protocol with the European Union.

The UK agreed the Protocol, and we on the EU side also agreed the Protocol in good faith, expecting that an international agreement negotiated collectively with the United Kingdom and signed by the European Union and United Kingdom would be fully implemented.

Again the UK’s chose to leave the single market and the customs union has consequences. It makes trade more difficult between the UK and the EU - more red tape and more paperwork.

And the Protocol addresses some of those consequences for Northern Ireland.

Now of course there are still challenges on the implementation of the Protocol, particularly when it comes to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in particular around plant and animal health measures (or SPS as the jargon would say).

Now from our side, the European Union continues to engage with the UK through the Joint Committee in good faith, to find pragmatic solutions within the framework of the Protocol.

And we want to help citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland adapt and to limit the impact on daily life across the island of Ireland.

And already the Commission has identified flexibilities and technical solutions, including on those very sensitive SPS measures, medicines, VAT, and Tariff Rate Quotas.

And I think on medicines, I really want to stress that the EU is very sensitive to public health issues, particularly in times of pandemic. And I would assure you that the European Union wants to ensure absolute continuity of supply of medicines to Northern Ireland.

But I would also say that we cannot do this on our own. So if we are to put forward practical, workable solutions, we need the United Kingdom to demonstrate that it is committed to the full implementation of the Protocol.

And, in a way, there must be joint endeavour between both sides.

But unfortunately from our side there are fundamental gaps in the UK’s implementation of the agreement.

As you know, the European Union has the tools to deal with these challenges, like the infringement procedure launched in March due to the UK breaching its obligations under the Protocol.

And indeed if the UK were to take further unilateral action over the coming weeks, the EU would react firmly to ensure that the UK abides by its obligations under international law.

Again I would say that, you know, there comes a point in a relationship if you’re not being treated fairly or treated with respect, there is a need to respond.

But again I would stress that we will continue to engage constructively with the UK.

In conclusion Cathaoirleach, the people on this island are aware that the impact of Brexit will continue to be felt for many years to come.

Both the European Union and the United Kingdom have a responsibility to engage in close dialogue to ensure the full and effective implementation of the TCA and the Withdrawal Agreement.

But as my colleague Maroš Šefčovič Vice-President said recently, trust – which should be at the heart of every relationship – needs to be restored.

And to have trust, we need to know that the UK will meet the commitments it made under the arrangements.

I’m very happy this morning to listen to the comments of your committee, which I think is a very important committee. And to share with you some of the issues that are still to be resolved. But I do believe with goodwill and with a practical approach, we can resolve those issues. Thank you Cathaoirleach.