Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

https://www.ft.com/content/ce89dea5-...9-5ea7321e7494

UK ‘throwing kitchen sink’ at making N Ireland Brexit deal work

Trade groups say efforts stepped up to implement the protocol despite Johnson’s claims

Boris Johnson called some of its requirements “absurd” and “ludicrous” this week. But even as Britain’s prime minister talks up “further steps” to unilaterally mitigate the effects of his post-Brexit deal with the EU on Northern Ireland, the UK government machine is “throwing the kitchen sink” at making it work.

Trade groups have told the FT that, despite Johnson’s rhetoric, UK government officials are stepping up their efforts to implement the NI protocol — part of the 2019 Brexit divorce deal which requires all goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain to comply with EU customs rules.

“Whitehall is throwing the kitchen sink at this thing,” said Stephen Kelly, chief executive of Manufacturing Northern Ireland. “I cannot remember ever seeing this level of engagement from right across the UK government. Officials are working their rear ends off to try and make it work.”

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

That's old news now Solly.
This however is from just yesterday:

' [Re: Lord Frost]... while he had established a good relationship with the commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, who is in charge of the Brexit negotiations, hardliners in Brussels were making it difficult to achieve a breakthrough.
“You get the impression that Sefcovic is limited in what he can offer,” said one UK diplomatic source. “He is very reasonable but there are others in the commission who are finding it harder to adapt to the new relationship with the UK.”

However the UK side downplayed suggestions that Johnson would move to trigger Article 16 - unilaterally overruling elements of the protocol - saying it was a last resort.'
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e...land-x7fjhcg02

Yes it's from The Times which is subscription-only.
Can't read it?
Either use the free trial on offer or hunt yourself for different but probably less-reputable sources if you are genuinely interested, but the gist is in what I've posted.
Which is that invoking Article 16 remains a possibility if the EU don't change their stance.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

As you are a well educated man, you probably have a better understanding of the article 16 than the times reporter.

Article 16
Safeguards
1. If the application of this Protocol leads to serious economic, societal or environmental
difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade, the Union or the United Kingdom
may unilaterally take appropriate safeguard measures. Such safeguard measures shall be
restricted with regard to their scope and duration to what is strictly necessary in order to
remedy the situation. Priority shall be given to such measures as will least disturb the
functioning of this Protocol.
2. If a safeguard measure taken by the Union or the United Kingdom, as the case may be, in
accordance with paragraph 1 creates an imbalance between the rights and obligations under
this Protocol, the Union or the United Kingdom, as the case may be, may take such
proportionate rebalancing measures as are strictly necessary to remedy the imbalance. Priority
shall be given to such measures as will least disturb the functioning of this Protocol.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

Everybody can read it Solly and can see the equally-important bits you decided not to highlight.
"What is strictly necessary" and all that.

But surely you'd be better asking your boss Ursula Von der Leyen her feelings on the article?
She is the one that first unilaterally invoked it after all.
What's sauce for the goose, as the saying goes.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

You just disqualified yourself as being well informed. The EU didn't actually invoke art 16. Which reduces your standing to a d 🐘 o.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

Tut tut tut - for the umpteenth time too, Solly.
Everybody but you knows that she did.


"European Commission president apologises over triggering of Article 16"
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/n...-40076641.html

https://www.independent.ie/news/ursu...-40073999.html

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

What on earth can be done to remove that myth of the EU invoking article 16 from the memories? That is why I think that any dispute is futile.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

For brexiters it doesn't matter whether their arguing is truth or false. So I bet you a eurocent some will keep coming up with it.

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

Something that happened and is historical fact is not a myth.
Are you EU citizens all so brainwashed?


Why have both Sefcovic and Von der Leyen had to apologise if it never happened?

Re: Boris secretly implementing NI protocol

Although I do not like generalisations like that, when it comes to the myth of EuArt16Inv (my new abbrev. for EU article 16 invocation) I agree with your assessment.

We will remember this as a black Tuesday, the day the EU ratified the TCA. The preconditions for the EU-UK agreement are so bad, I really think that it should be postponed by years. If there should be a desire to think about a TCA in a couple of years, then we might consider it again.
It is a divorce and like in the real life, after a divorse, there should be some time without contact...