The United Kingdom and the European Union have resurfaced due to the “Brexit” turmoil. The British government demanded on the 11th to renegotiate the “Northern Ireland Protocol” in the agreement, otherwise it will tear up the relevant content; the EU warned that the “Brexit” agreement is legally binding, and renegotiation is “not an option”.
The UK officially leaves the EU in January 2021, and the Northern Ireland Protocol is part of the Withdrawal Agreement. According to the agreement, Northern Ireland remains in the European single market and the EU customs union to prevent a land “hard border” on the island of Ireland. However, some goods from the British island of Great Britain entering Northern Ireland are subject to customs and border security checks. Anglophiles in Northern Ireland believe that this approach of creating barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is creating divisions.
In the past few months, Britain has complained that the protocol is too rigid, interferes with trade in Northern Ireland and fuels political instability, and has called for changes.
The EU published proposed changes in October last year, including to facilitate the flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland by cutting customs procedures, simplifying certification and reducing border checks. In addition, the EU has agreed to amend its own rules to ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines in Northern Ireland.
British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss issued a statement on the 11th of this month, rejecting the EU’s proposal. Not only did the EU proposal fail to address key issues, she said, it even set the UK back in some cases. The British side hopes to find a solution through negotiation, and if it cannot be reached, the United Kingdom “will not shy away from taking action”.