‘We’re ready to remove Irish Sea trade barrier’
BORIS Johnson has threatened to “take action” over post-Brexit rules for Northern Ireland within days.
The Prime Minister warned that the situation surrounding the protocol was “now very serious” as he blamed Brussels for failing to tackle the disruption it is causing.
His warnings, made in a call with Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin, came after concerns the European Commission’s current proposals could see everyday goods disappear from supermarket shelves.
Ministers say Lincolnshire sausages and other chilled meats from Great Britain would need a veterinary certificate to enter Northern Ireland.
It could cost up to £280 for certificates and jabs to holiday with a pet in the UK.
The DUP, now replaced by the nationalist Sinn Fein as the largest party at Stormont, is still refusing to share power without “decisive action” on trade rules.
Downing Street said the PM told Mr Martin that the “balance of the Good Friday Agreement was being undermined and the recent elections had further demonstrated that the Protocol was not sustainable in its current form.
“The Prime Minister reiterated that the Government would take action to protect peace and political stability in Northern Ireland if solutions could not be found.”
Foreign Secretary LizTruss is understood to be preparing legislation to be unveiled nextTuesday to “fix” the Protocol.
A new law will unilaterally remove the need for checks on all goods being sent from Britain for use in Northern Ireland.
It would also ensure businesses in Northern Ireland are able to disregard EU rules and remove European Court of Justice power over the region.
But CommissionVice-President Maros Sefcovic said renegotiation of the protocol was “not an option”, and that unilateral action by the UK would make work on possible solutions “more difficult”.
He said: “The EU remains open to such discussions. Only joint solutions will work.”