Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

EU offers cut in red tape in olive branch to UK over NI Brexit row

The proposals outlined by Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič aim to ease trade complications but will likely not meet UK demands to replace the Brexit protocol.

The European Commission has officially unveiled its eagerly-awaited proposals designed to ease the impact of post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland.

The olive branch from the EU includes plans for a large reduction in the number of checks on goods flowing from the British mainland to the UK province, a condition of the Brexit divorce terms.

The proposals were outlined by Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič — but although described as "far-reaching", they do not extend to eliminating the role of the European court in Northern Ireland's affairs, as demanded by the British government.

Šefčovič began his news conference in Brussels by saying the EU's top priority was to make sure the gains of the Good Friday Agreement were protected. This was the 1998 peace accord that ended decades of sectarian violence.

Brussels had entirely "turned our rules upside down and inside out" to find a solution, he added.

The commissioner said the plans would lead to a large reduction in checks on goods sent from Britain to Northern Ireland.

The proposals as set out by the Commission cover four key areas:

*  A bespoke solution for Northern Ireland on food, plant and animal health (so-called SPS issues) leading to an estimated 80% cut in checks
*  Flexible customs formalities to ease the movement of goods from Britain to Northern Ireland, reducing paperwork by half
*  'Enhanced engagement' with interested parties in Northern Ireland to improve transparency and communication
*  Uninterrupted long-term supply of medicines from Britain to Northern Ireland

"I have listened to and engaged with Northern Irish stakeholders. Today's proposals are our genuine response to their concerns. We have put a lot of hard work into them to make a tangible change on the ground, in response to the concerns raised by the people and businesses of Northern Ireland," Šefčovič said.


But speaking at the news conference, he would not be drawn on the absence of any proposed changes concerning the European court.

The UK has insisted it wants final oversight over any trade disputes to be subject to independent arbitration, rather than the EU's top court.

“It’s very clear that we cannot have access to the single market without the supervision of the European Court of Justice,” Sefcovic said.

On Tuesday the UK Brexit Minister David Frost said the Northern Ireland Protocol — the international treaty setting out the new arrangements — was not working and urged the EU to replace it, offering the Commission a "new legal text".

The disruption the protocol has brought to internal UK trade has infuriated British unionists, who oppose Northern Ireland being treated differently from the rest of the UK.

The so-called "Irish Sea" border was negotiated as part of the Northern Ireland Protocol, part of the binding EU withdrawal treaty. It keeps the North inside the EU's customs territory and single market for goods, in order to keep an open land border with the Irish Republic to the south.

Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of Northern Ireland's unionist DUP party said "there is no escaping the reality that the Northern Ireland Protocol has harmed Northern Ireland, both in economic and constitutional terms."

He added that his party would study the proposed changes offered by the EU, but insisted "short-term fixes will not solve the problems that have beset the United Kingdom internal market."

There are fears in EU circles that if differences cannot be resolved, Boris Johnson's government may go ahead with its threat to suspend the protocol altogether under its Article 16 provision. This would further damage relations and it's thought could even provoke a trade war.

Commission experts are to travel to London to begin detailed talks on the proposals. Šefčovič is to meet the UK's Brexit Minister Lord Frost in Brussels on Friday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×