UK offers significant opportunities for N Ireland trade

Boris Johnson’s government has offered a boost to EU trade talks after Brexit in Northern Ireland, as the Prime Minister seeks to end the toxic crisis.

A British official on Friday told EU journalists based in London that Johnson no longer sought the expulsion of the European Court of Justice from his position by enforcing the so-called Northern Ireland protocol.

In a move that called for “significant change”, the UK official said “no one is showing up on the streets of Belfast” in protest of the ECJ’s role.

The Protocol is part of a UK Brexit agreement aimed at maintaining open borders in Ireland. In exchange, additional checks on trade east and west across the Irish Sea are required.

While Johnson still wants to resolve the issue of “protocol” protocol over time, EU journalists have been told that the prime minister wants to look into the current situation so that goods can flow smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland across the Irish Sea.

“Failure to negotiate will not be possible because the UK is insisting on removing the ECJ in the protocol,” the official said, adding that London had acknowledged that the European Commission was not responsible for negotiating with member states. court from contract.

According to reporters at the event, he was invited to speak on the “change” of the UK government’s mind – an olive branch that could help trade with Brussels.

But as the news began to unfold, Downing Street tried desperately to undermine what was being said, fearing that it would confuse them. Interview with Brexit Minister Lord David Frost.

A government spokesman stated: “This is a false alarm. Any standardized solution should address all of the problems posed by the protocol, including the ECJ. “

Despite this, a brief press conference of the EU press conference shows that Johnson wants to “stop” the ECJ issue in order to do better in some areas.

Both sides have been talking for weeks about significant reductions in checks on economic ports in the Irish Sea ports, including medicine, meat and food, and a reduction in customs clearance.

Stefanie Bolzen, a London-based journalist with Die Welt, tweeted that a UK official said: “If the Protocol works as an advertiser, it could offer benefits” in Northern Ireland, which has a foothold in the UK and EU commodity markets.

The apparent agreement with the UK comes amid Washington’s insistence that Johnson not comply with his threats to launch a process beyond Article 16, which would allow him to suspend other aspects of the agreement.

The US is refusing to cut taxes on UK metals and other metals, with high figures in Washington agreeing that suspension Johnson’s threats to the operation of the protocol.

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These attitudes have been particularly encouraging in recent weeks. EU ambassadors believe things changed in early November when member states confirmed that if Verse 16 begins can respond by deleting the entire post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement, with a one-year notice.

The UK has raised the issue of ECJ in briefing since then, Commission officials said. Ambassadors say they are satisfied to discuss other matters first.

While emphasizing the difference between the UK’s demands and the EU’s offer, Frost also spoke about the possibility of finding a solution.

Frost said after talks Friday that he and his EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic will meet twice next week as they seek a deal.