Times: Closer to an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol of Brexit are London and Brussels

London, Thanasis Gavos

London and Brussels have come closer to resolving the intense dispute over the protocol of the Brexit agreement concerning Northern Ireland, according to the Times.

The British newspaper reports that the two sides have reached a customs agreement that could pave the way for resolving the thorny issue of the protocol.

The EU side has reportedly accepted a proposal according to which there will be no need to carry out routine checks on products from Great Britain intended for use and consumption in Northern Ireland.

Also, Brussels appears for the first time to accept that the European Court will have a say in cases involving Northern Ireland only if such a case is referred by Northern Irish courts.

Until now, the Community position has been that the European Commission has the right to appeal to the European Court of Justice whenever it deems appropriate.

The framework for the deal is believed to have been reached through months of negotiations involving Foreign Office officials and Sir Tim Barrow, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s national security adviser.

The customs deal is understood to be based on Britain’s proposal for a system of “green and red bands” for products, depending on whether they are destined for the market in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, which is a member of the EU and the single market.

In the second case there will continue to be a need for customs formalities for products from Great Britain arriving at Northern Ireland ports.

The report adds that the two sides will negotiate a separate agreement on exports of meat, livestock and other animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, with London accepting the need to comply with EU veterinary rules.

However, Downing Street insists there is no deal in place, with The Times’ sources saying that while the customs deal has been sealed, the exact details of the European Court of Justice’s jurisdiction and veterinary rules are still being discussed.

The British government’s concern, the report adds, is whether such a deal would be accepted by Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which believes that controls on products crossing the Irish Sea and any involvement by the European Court of Justice undermine the integrity of the United Kingdom.

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