The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol

20 May 2020

This command paper sets out the UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol.with links to Press commentary

HM Government

The paper sets out how the UK will implement the Northern Ireland Protocol while upholding Northern Ireland’s place in the UK and respecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

FT

UK set for new clash with Brussels over Northern Ireland Brexit plan

EU expected to balk at proposals for ‘absolute minimum’ checks on trade across Irish Sea
Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles.

Brussels and Britain have escalated their war of words over the deadlock in their future-relationship talks as Britain set out “light-touch” border plans for Northern Ireland that risk creating a further source of conflict.
After months in which Brexit has been crowded out of the political debate by the Covid-19 crisis, tensions are rising ahead of crucial talks next month on whether a new EU-UK trading relationship can be agreed. Brussels warned Britain on Wednesday not to expect a trade deal that replicated agreements between the EU and countries such as Canada, South Korea and Japan.
 
Michel Barnier, chief EU negotiator, wrote a stinging letter to David Frost, his British counterpart, warning that Brussels would not tolerate British “cherry picking” of prized market-access rights.

Guardian

The government has confirmed for the first time that there will be Brexit checks on animals and food goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK from next January.

The announcement, detailed in a 23-page document released by the government on Wednesday, comes months after Boris Johnson pledged there would be no checks on trade crossing the Irish Sea – telling businesses that if anyone asked them to fill in new paperwork, they could “throw it in the bin”.

Despite that pledge, Michael Gove said on Wednesday the checks would be necessary to ensure the entire island of Ireland maintained “disease-free status”, with border inspection posts for agrifood arrivals at Belfast port, Belfast international airport, Belfast City airport and Warrenpoint port.

BBC

The government has confirmed there will be new checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of the Brexit deal.

It will expand infrastructure at Northern Ireland's ports to carry out checks on animals and food products.

The details are contained in UK proposals for implementing the NI part of the Brexit deal.

Northern Ireland will continue to follow some EU rules on agricultural and manufactured goods.

The Northern Ireland protocol is supposed to be operational by January and has to be applied even if the UK and EU do not reach a trade deal.

The government said the protocol could "be implemented in a pragmatic, proportionate way".

"Implementing the protocol in this way will ensure we can support businesses and citizens, and protect Northern Ireland's place in the UK's customs territory while upholding our commitments to the EU's Single Market," said Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove.


© HM Treasury