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Europe ministers say trust in the UK at a low ebb

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Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, updating ministers on the latest developments, said that trust needed to be rebuilt and that he hopes to find solutions with the UK before the end of the year. 

European ministers meeting for the General Affairs Council (21 September) were updated on the state of play in EU-UK relations, in particular with regards to the implementation of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Šefčovič updated ministers on the latest developments, including his recent visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland, and ministers reiterated their support for the European Commission's approach: “The EU will continue to engage with the UK to find solutions within the framework of the protocol. We will do our utmost to bring back predictability and stability for the citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland and to ensure they can make the most of the opportunities provided by the protocol, including access to the single market.”

The vice president said that many ministers had spoken in the debate at the Council meeting with concern over whether the UK was a trustworthy partner. French Europe Minister Clement Beaune said on his way into the meeting that Brexit and the recent dispute with France over the AUKUS submarine deal should not be mixed up. However, he said that there was an issue of trust, saying that the UK was a close ally but that the Brexit agreement was not being fully respected and that trust was needed in order to move on. 

Šefčovič aims to resolve all outstanding issues with the UK by the end of the year. On the UK’s threat to make use of Article 16 in the Protocol which allows the UK to take specific safeguarding actions if the protocol results in serious economic, social or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist or to a diversion of trade, Šefčovič said that the EU would have to react and that ministers had asked the Commission to prepare for any eventuality. Nevertheless, Šefčovič hopes this can be avoided.

Northern Ireland is already experiencing trade diversion, both in its imports and exports. This is due in large part to the very thin trade deal that the UK has chosen to pursue with the EU, despite being offered less damaging options. Any safeguarding measures must be restricted in terms of scope and duration. There is also a complicated procedure for discussing safeguarding measures laid out in annex seven of the protocol, which involves notifying the Joint Committee, waiting a month to apply any safeguards, unless there are extraordinary circumstances (which the UK will no doubt claim there are). The measures will then be reviewed every three months, in the unlikely event that they are found to be well grounded.

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