There are “no alternatives” to the Northern Ireland Protocol and it will not be “reviewed” or “amended”. This was the message from several MEPs at an event on Monday 22 February on the consequences of ‘Brexit’ for Ireland and the Netherlands.
The European Parliament, which will soon have to give its consent to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, is willing to “accompany the Commission” to improve the implementation of the protocol and find pragmatic solutions, but by upholding “its principles”, which include avoiding a physical border on the island and defending the integrity of the single market, said David McAllister (EPP, Germany), who chairs the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The MEP, along with others such as Ireland’s Barry Andrews (Renew EUROPE), a member of the Committee on International Trade, and Kati Piri (S&D, Netherlands), reacted in particular to the announcement over the weekend by the Northern Ireland Democratic Unionist Party, the DUP, of a legal action against the protocol.
“Alongside the political action we have taken, we seek to explore every political and legal avenue and will be joining other likeminded unionists from across the United Kingdom in judicial review proceedings challenging the Northern Ireland Protocol”, DUP leader Arlene Foster said in a February 21 statement, reported by Reuters.
Questioned on this subject on Monday 22, the European Commission reiterated that it remained “fully committed” to the proper implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol. “We want to minimise the impact of Brexit on people’s daily lives as much as possible” and we have to “find realistic solutions to the various problems” that arise. A new EU/United Kingdom meeting will be held on 24 February on this subject. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)