The European Commission has decided not to pursue at this stage its infringement procedure opened in March against the United Kingdom over non-compliance with the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, in order to continue to focus on “constructive discussions” with London on the issue (see EUROPE 12678/1), Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič said on the morning of Tuesday 7 September.
The Vice-President for Interinstitutional Affairs, who will be visiting Northern Ireland on 8 and 9 September to meet with local interested parties, was responding to the British government’s announcement the previous day that it would further extend the grace periods provided for in the protocol on certain customs controls on goods and merchandise between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1 October.
“We take note of the UK Ministerial Declaration on the operation of the Protocol on the current basis, including the maintenance of the existing grace periods”, the Commission had responded on the evening of 6 September. “We continue to stress that the withdrawal agreement is an international agreement. The Protocol is an integral part of the Withdrawal Agreement and the solution agreed between the UK and the EU to the problems caused by Brexit for the island of Ireland. Both parties are legally bound to fulfil their obligations under the agreement”.
“We remain focused on identifying long-term, flexible and practical solutions to the practical implementation issues that Northern Ireland citizens and businesses face. However, we will not accept a renegotiation of the protocol”, the Commission warned.
“Our priority is to solve the concrete problems that people are facing”, the vice-president further stated on Tuesday. He will be going to meet “entrepreneurs, researchers, politicians to understand the concrete problems on the ground”.
This is the second time the Commission has chosen not to pursue its infringement after a similar decision in July (see EUROPE 12722/22). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)