The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Truss upbeat over protocol solution
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said there is a “deal to be done” with the European Union over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Following her first meeting with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, held at her official residence at Chevening in Kent, she said they had agreed to hold further talks on January 24.
However, she refused to rule out the possibility the UK could invoke Article 16 – suspending part of the arrangements in the protocol – if they could not agree a way forward.
“We have had constructive talks with the EU. We are now going to going into intensive negotiations to work towards a negotiated solution to sort out these very real issues for the people of Northern Ireland,” she said in a pooled broadcast clip.
“I think there is a deal to be done. I do want to make progress. Clearly if we don’t make sufficient progress we will have to look at the alternatives, but my absolute desire is to get a deal that works for the people of Northern Ireland.”
Ms Truss assumed responsibility for the negotiations with the EU following the resignation of the Brexit minister Lord Frost last month.
The Government is seeking substantial changes to the protocol – which forms part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement – arguing that it is hampering the free movement of goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and damaging community relations.
In a joint statement, Ms Truss and Mr Sefcovic said: “The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. We agreed that officials would meet next week in intensified talks and that the principals would meet again on January 24.
“We share a desire for a positive relationship between the EU and the UK underpinned by our
shared belief in freedom and democracy.”
Meanwhile, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has said he wants to see an agreement on the protocol reached by the end of February.
Mr Coveney said he does not want to see the Northern Ireland Assembly election in May become dominated by the “polarising” issue.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Coveney said the meeting between Ms Truss and Mr Sefcovic marked a “reset” in the relationship between the EU and UK teams, which is now “in a better place than we’ve seen for a while”.
He said: “From my conversations with both sides, I think that process will be a very serious one.
“I think in people’s minds, really, we would like to have, if possible, these issues resolved by the end of February, so that the elections in Northern Ireland can move ahead
without being dominated by the protocol issues, right the way to polling day.
“Elections in the north are often polarising enough affairs without having the added complexity and tension around the protocol and its implementation.
“So I think everybody is conscious of their responsibility in terms of trying to bring some stability and certainty to Northern Ireland in the context of Brexit, and the Northern Ireland Protocol.”
Ms Truss said there is a “deal to be done” following her meeting with Mr Sefcovic.
However, she refused to rule out the possibility the UK could invoke Article 16 – suspending part of the arrangements in the protocol – if they could not agree a way forward.
Mr Coveney insisted the protocol is here to stay, and that he did not expect the UK to remove the threat of Article 16 until a deal is agreed.
He told RTE Radio One: “The protocol is there. It’s part of an international treaty, it’s part of international law.
“And so the focus really on the EU side is how do we implement this protocol in a way that is pragmatic and flexible, and takes on board the genuine concerns that have been raised in Northern Ireland?
“I think if both sides work on that basis, there is a landing zone that can be agreed over the next six or eight weeks.
“As an Irish government perspective, we’ll be working to try to assist that process.”
Mr Coveney said he did not expect the UK Government to follow through on its threat to trigger Article 16.
He added: “I don’t expect that the UK side will take something like the use of Article 16 off the table, until there’s an agreement. That’s just the nature of negotiations.”