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NORTHERN IRELAND’S PRIME Minister has lobbied Boris Johnson to replace the NI Protocol after the EU sparked a dispute over vaccine controls.
The EU caused outrage last night when it moved to invoke Article 16 of the post-Brexit mechanism, to stop the unhindered flow of vaccines from the European bloc to the region.
Brussels subsequently reversed the measure following condemnation of London, Dublin and Belfast.
Under the terms of the protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the single market for goods and continues to apply EU customs rules at its ports and airports.
The EU had stated its intention to activate article 16 of the protocol to temporarily place export controls on this movement with respect to vaccines.
The Irish government, the British government, Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the DUP and other trade unionists expressed concern over the invocation of the article.
Arlene Foster said it was an “absolutely incredible act of hostility towards those of us in Northern Ireland.”
“It is absolutely disgraceful, and I have to say that the Prime Minister now needs to act very quickly to deal with the actual trade flows that are being disrupted between Britain and Northern Ireland,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today program this morning.
“We have been asking the Prime Minister to deal with flow issues and indeed, since January 1, we have been trying to manage together with the Government the many, many difficulties that have arisen between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. and there are actions I could take immediately, ”he said.
“There is great unrest and great tension within the community here in Northern Ireland, so this protocol, which was meant to bring peace and harmony in Northern Ireland, is doing the opposite.
“The protocol is not viable, let’s be very clear about it and we need to see it replaced because otherwise there will be real difficulties here in Northern Ireland.”
Pressed on whether that would violate an international treaty, she said: “Well, it didn’t seem to upset the European Union yesterday when they violated the treaty in terms of their embarrassment over buying vaccines.”
A former Fianna Fáil politician said the Taoiseach was furious over the EU’s abandoned decision to void part of the Brexit deal in Northern Ireland.
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“The action does not make any sense and has clearly embarrassed the Irish government that was caught off guard,” said former European minister Dick Roche.
“I understand that Micheál Martin was very upset about that, that he made very strong representations to the commission.”
In a statement late at night, the European Commission said it was “not activating the safeguard clause” to ensure the protocol is “not affected” after widespread condemnation of its measure as part of its export controls. of vaccines against the coronavirus.
The protocol has already proven unpopular with Northern Irish trade unionists complaining about a border in the Irish Sea.
Yesterday, there were calls for government intervention amid claims that the Brexit bureaucracy could hamper the movement of military equipment within the UK.
The new Irish Sea shipping agreements mean that the armed forces must give 15 days’ notice, complete customs declarations and even inform NATO to get materials from Britain to Northern Ireland, according to the Unionist Party of the Ulster.
UUP MLA Doug Beattie, a decorated Army veteran, said the restrictions were a consequence of protocol, which governs the movement of goods through the Irish Sea since the Brexit transition period ended.
Foster said a restriction on the movement of military equipment was one of the “hundreds of problems” created by the protocol.
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