“NO HARD BORDER”
The protocol was signed separately from the trade and cooperation deal that cemented the UK’s formal departure from the European Union in January 2021.
But its implementation has proven a flashpoint for disagreement between the bloc, member state Ireland and the UK – and even threatens a possible EU-UK trade war if London’s unilateral overhaul legislation passes.
The deal kept Northern Ireland in the European single market and customs union, stipulating checks on goods moving from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland.
That was designed to prevent a “hard” border between Ireland and Northern Ireland – a key plank of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that largely ended three decades of conflict.
However, it has enraged hardline unionists, including the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), leading to their boycott of the devolved assembly in Belfast since February.
Von der Leyen sought to reassure Dublin that the bloc would continue to “stand by the Good Friday Agreement”, insisting “there can be no hard border on the island of Ireland”.
Irish prime minister Micheal Martin, who last month noted “a window of opportunity” existed to end the dispute following face-to-face talks with Sunak, thanked the EU for its “unswerving solidarity” during Brexit.
“Like you, we want to see a new and vital partnership with United Kingdom … which will be achieved if we can resolve the issues relating to the protocol,” he told parliament.
“With the right political will, I believe that we can achieve that.”
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