Johnson administration’s unilateral changes are provocative and contrary to international law
Vienna (OTS/SK) – The British government today presents a bill amending the Northern Ireland Protocol. Andreas Schieder, Head of the SPÖ-EU Delegation and Brexit Rapporteur on the EU Parliament’s foreign policy committee, says: “The case remains, there can be no unilateral change in the Brexit deal, this also affects the Northern Ireland protocol. If the Johnson administration introduces a draft unilateral amendment today, it is a provocation and violates international law. However, the following also applies to any renegotiations that may take place in the future: the ECJ as the final decision-making authority and the integrity of the internal market red lines remain from the EU’s point of view. Boris Johnson also agreed to this common ground in 2019 and reached a legally binding agreement.”****
Schieder explains: “The EU stands ready to work together with the UK on a solution that will make trade between Northern Ireland and the island of Great Britain as unbureaucratic as possible and guarantee peace in Ireland. To do that, however, the government in London would have to react constructively to one of the many proposals made by EU Commissioner Šefčovič. Instead, Boris Johnson has repeatedly tried and continues to use Britain’s departure from the EU as a relief from other domestic problems. He barely survived a vote of no confidence in his own ranks.”
“The Northern Ireland Protocol was and still is the only possible solution to the situation on the island of Ireland to preserve the peace and protect the Good Friday Agreement. The EU remains united in its position that renegotiating this agreement is out of the question.” question”, concluded Schieder. (close) lp
Questions and contact:
Jacob Flossman
Spokesperson for the SPÖ delegation to the European Parliament
+43 660 562 11 99
[email protected]