# UK tells EU: Without flexibility, we will act on N.Ireland Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-05-12 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Britain warns EU over Northern Ireland trade rules, risks Meta Description: Amid concerns for peace in Northern Ireland, Britain threatens to act if EU does not show flexibility in talks over trade rules, risking commercial strife. URL: https://financedigest.com/uk-tells-eu-without-flexibility-we-will-act-on-n-irelandhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-05-12t092711z1lynxnpei4b0e2rtroptp4britain-politics-parliament-1736815731202-compressed.jpg) By William James and Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) -Britain warned it might be forced to “act” in a row with the European Union over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, raising the risk of commercial strife and deepening a standoff stirring U.S. concerns for peace in the province. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Thursday Britain would have no choice but to act unless the bloc was more flexible in [talks over trade rules for the British-run province — one of the most difficult issues](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-one-in-ten-brits-are-embarrassed-to-talk-to-anyone-about-their-money-issues.html "More than one in ten Brits are embarrassed to talk to anyone about their money issues") in Britain’s exit from the EU. When Britain quit the EU, Prime [Minister Boris Johnson’s government agreed to a pact that effectively left Northern](https://www.financedigest.com/will-mays-new-minister-percy-keep-the-northern-powerhouse-on-track-post-brexit.html "WILL MAY’S NEW MINISTER PERCY KEEP THE NORTHERN POWERHOUSE ON TRACK POST BREXIT?") Ireland within the EU’s single market and customs union given its open border with EU member Ireland. That created a customs border in the [sea between the rest of the United](https://www.financedigest.com/offshore-crews-to-strike-on-bps-north-sea-installations-says-unite.html "Offshore crews to strike on BP’s North Sea installations, says Unite") Kingdom and the province, which pro-British communities in Northern Ireland say erodes their place within the UK. The British government says the attendant bureaucracy [created by so-called Northern Ireland protocol is intolerable and is also threatening the 1998 peace agreement](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-announces-agreement-to-acquire-risk-management-firm-creating-a-comprehensive-cyber-risk-management-advisory-group.html "Aon announces agreement to acquire risk management firm, creating a comprehensive cyber risk management advisory group") that mostly ended three decades of sectarian violence in the province. In a call with [European Commission](https://www.financedigest.com/ftx-collapse-shows-urgent-need-to-finalise-eu-crypto-rules-says-european-commission.html "FTX collapse shows urgent need to finalise EU crypto rules, says European Commission") vice-president Maros Sefcovic, Truss reiterated that assertion. She said “the situation in Northern Ireland is a matter of internal peace and security for the United Kingdom, and if the EU would not show the requisite flexibility to help [solve those issues](https://www.financedigest.com/how-the-financial-services-industry-can-solve-the-issue-of-vulnerable-code.html "How the financial services industry can solve the issue of vulnerable code"), then as a responsible government we would have no choice but to act,” a British statement said. Vice President Sefcovic confirmed that there was no room to [expand the EU negotiating mandate or introduce new proposals to reduce the overall level](https://www.financedigest.com/zivver-expands-leadership-team-names-three-new-c-level-executives.html "Zivver Expands Leadership Team, Names Three New C-level Executives") of trade friction. Truss noted this “with regret”, the statement said. In response, Sefcovic said the possibility of [Britain acting](https://www.financedigest.com/man-charged-under-britains-treason-act-over-christmas-day-incident-at-queens-home.html "Man charged under Britain’s Treason Act over Christmas Day incident at queen’s home") unilaterally was “of serious concern” and any move to scrap the agreement would be “unacceptable. Sefcovic said the EU had offered a range of [solutions to break the standoff and that there was “still potential to be explored](https://www.financedigest.com/exploring-the-key-features-of-bnpl-solutions.html "Exploring the key features of BNPL solutions") in our proposals. We are still awaiting the response from the UK side”. COORDINATED APPROACH In Washington, the White House said on Wednesday the United States encouraged continued dialogue between [Britain and the European Union to resolve a standoff over post-Brexit trade rules](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-plans-new-data-rules-to-ease-compliance-burden.html "Britain plans new data rules to ease compliance burden") for Northern Ireland. In what appeared to be a coordinated approach, Britain’s minister for the cabinet office, Michael Ellis, told the [European Parliament in Brussels “the current situation with the protocol is not working”](https://www.financedigest.com/fido-alliance-launches-european-working-group-to-expand-use-of-authentication-standards.html "Fido Alliance Launches European Working Group To Expand Use Of Authentication Standards"). We will take action to protect the Belfast Good Friday agreement if solutions cannot be found,” he said, appealing to the EU to work with Britain by invoking the united response by the [West to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/putin-says-peace-talks-with-ukraine-are-at-dead-end-goads-the-west.html "Putin says peace talks with Ukraine are at dead end, goads the West"). At the heart of the dispute are two opposing approaches to what was [signed in 2020 as part of Britain’s Brexit withdrawal agreement](https://www.financedigest.com/japan-uk-to-sign-reciprocal-access-agreement-for-military-officers-yomiuri.html "Japan, UK to sign reciprocal access agreement for military officers -Yomiuri") with the EU. Brussels [says the agreement was signed](https://www.financedigest.com/french-unions-unanimously-sign-wage-agreement-with-edf-company-says.html "French unions unanimously sign wage agreement with EDF, company says") in good faith and any renegotiation is out of the question. London says that when it was signed, there was an [understanding that some changes might be needed if there were any trade](https://www.financedigest.com/a-brits-guide-to-understanding-commodity-trading.html "A Brit’s Guide to Understanding Commodity Trading") problems for Northern Ireland. A Conservative source said a move to announce domestic legislation which would [effectively disapply the protocol could come on Tuesday after a possible](https://www.financedigest.com/the-brexit-effect-hits-uk-salaries-but-possibly-boosts-tourism.html "The Brexit Effect Hits UK Salaries, but Possibly Boosts Tourism") announcement by the prime minister a day earlier. Such a process could take time, having to be passed by both the lower and upper houses of parliament, although the government might try to find [ways to get around](https://www.financedigest.com/5-time-efficient-ways-to-travel-around-the-philippines.html "5 Time-Efficient Ways to Travel Around the Philippines") that. Downing Street has repeatedly declined to [say what action the government would take to break the deadlock and said there were more talks](https://www.financedigest.com/virgin-orbit-says-space-startup-in-talks-with-potential-investors.html "Virgin Orbit says space startup in talks with potential investors") scheduled between officials. We will [continue to see](https://www.financedigest.com/swedish-match-continues-to-see-strong-smoke-free-sales-growth.html "Swedish Match continues to see strong smoke-free sales growth") what, if any, more progress can be made,” Johnson’s spokesman told reporters. (Reporting by William James and Elizabeth Piper, editing by Mark Heinrich, William Maclean) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---