Michael Gove backs down and allows Brussels to have officials permanently based in Northern Ireland

Brussels may have its officials permanently based in Northern Ireland to supervise controls of goods crossing the Irish Sea.

Michael Gove accepted the concession last night as part of an agreement with the EU on how the province’s borders will operate starting next month, when the Brexit transition period ends.

After the two sides finalized the plan yesterday, Downing Street confirmed that Boris Johnson would drop his threat to violate international law.

The government said it would remove contentious clauses from the internal market bill that would have given ministers the power to override parts of the withdrawal agreement signed by the prime minister and EU leaders last year.

Agreement: Michael Gove and Maros Sefcovic yesterday. The Cabinet Office minister agreed to the concession as part of an agreement with the EU on how the province’s borders will operate.

Cabinet Office Minister Gove and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic have been in talks about how the Northern Ireland parts of the treaty will work in practice.

Their discussions are separate from the post-Brexit trade deal talks, which remain stalled, but the deal could improve relations between the two negotiating teams.

Under the terms, which Gove will present to MPs today, the government has agreed that the EU can have officials stationed in Northern Ireland to oversee controls on goods arriving from Britain.

In a briefing for MEPs, Sefcovic said that up to 30 EU officials will be located there and will have access to UK databases.

The UK insisted that the deal marked a downgrade for Brussels from its earlier request to have a ‘mini embassy’ in the province.

A government source said: ‘The EU has the right under the Northern Ireland protocol [in the withdrawal agreement] oversee the processes carried out by the UK authorities, which we will of course support.

After the two sides finalized the plan yesterday, Downing Street confirmed that Boris Johnson (pictured Tuesday) would drop his threat to violate international law.

“But there will be no mini-embassy, ​​no mission, no building with a flag or bronze plaque.”

The deal removes the threat of a blockade preventing the shipment of British sausages and hamburgers to Northern Ireland from next month, though a long-term deal has yet to be finalized.

The two sides have also resolved other issues, including animal border controls, export declarations and the supply of medicines. Gove and Sefcovic finalized the deal yesterday after a nine-hour meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Sefcovic said last night that the United Kingdom had backed down from his threat to cancel the withdrawal agreement after pressure from the president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

He told MEPs that “clear signals” from the new US administration convinced Johnson to remove the clauses that had angered Brussels.

Sefcovic (pictured above) claimed last night that the UK had backed down from his threat to void the withdrawal agreement following pressure from US President-elect Joe Biden.

According to sources present at the meeting, he said: ‘They knew what a bad sign this was sending to their European partners and not just to us. They also registered clear signals from the new US administration about the political consequences of not having properly implemented the withdrawal agreement. “

A government source said: ‘We always said that the provisions of the UK Internal Market Act were a safety net in case we did not reach a satisfactory position on export declarations, goods’ at risk’ [items that could be moved into the EU via Northern Ireland]and the state aid provisions of the protocol. The fact that we have agreed to remove the relevant clauses underscores that we consider these issues and other outstanding concerns resolved. We got what we wanted. ‘

The internal market bill has hung like a cloud over Brexit trade talks since ministers admitted that the planned changes would violate international law.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis surprised MPs when he confirmed in September that proposals to limit the EU’s role in the province after Brexit would violate the withdrawal agreement.

Amanda Pinto QC, president of the Bar Association, said last night: “We are very happy that the government has withdrawn from its plans to violate international law.”