Forex Trading For Beginners 2021: PM urges EU action to quell Brexit tensions in NI

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for "urgent action" from the EU amid rising tensions over post-Brexit checks at Northern Ireland ports.

UK and EU leaders are to hold talks to try to resolve the trade issues between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Checks on goods were suspended on Tuesday after threats to staff.

Mr Johnson said the EU had "undermined" the Brexit deal by threatening emergency controls of Covid vaccine exports across the Irish border.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who will be representing the UK government in talks with the EU Commission and Northern Ireland's devolved administration, said a three-month grace period with lighter enforcement of EU rules should be extended beyond March.

It comes after hauliers experienced problems transporting goods from Great Britain, some parcel deliveries were stopped and supermarkets struggled to restock some products last month, although some of these problems have since been resolved.

"Trust has been eroded, damage has been done and urgent action is therefore needed," Mr Gove told the House of Commons on Tuesday, adding that supermarkets and other businesses needed to be sure they could continue to supply consumers.

When the Brexit transition period ended in January, Northern Ireland remained in the EU single market while the rest of the UK left, meaning that checks had to be carried out on goods arriving from Great Britain.

Unionists have criticised these rules, known as the Northern Ireland protocol, as damaging to trade and posing a risk to UK unity. In recent days, graffiti opposing the Irish Sea border has been painted in some loyalist areas, referring to staff carrying out checks on goods at ports as "targets".

Stormont suspended physical checks on food consignments at two ports on Tuesday amid the security concerns, although police said paramilitary groups are not involved.

Mr Johnson said on Twitter ahead of the meeting with the EU that his commitment to people of Northern Ireland and the union was "unshakeable".

He called for "urgent action from the EU to resolve outstanding problems" with the way the protocol was implemented, to preserve the Good Friday Agreement and ensure "Northern Ireland benefits from Brexit just like every other part of our United Kingdom".

Our commitment to the people of Northern Ireland and our Union is unshakeable. Recent EU moves have undermined the Protocol & understandably provoked concern. Let me underline that, now & in the future, Northern Ireland’s place in the UK will be protected and strengthened. 1/2
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 2, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

Recent moves by the EU had "undermined the protocol and understandably provoked concern", he said.

Amid a dispute with manufacturers over supplies, the EU on Friday briefly threatened to use an emergency measure to override part of the deal and restrict the export of vaccines.

It was concerned that Northern Ireland could be used as a way to bypass export controls, using its place in the single market as a backdoor to the rest of the UK.

The dispute has intensified pressure among some unionist politicians to end the checks on goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, with the DUP saying it intends to work with other unionist parties to send a message that Northern Ireland must be "freed from the protocol".

Arlene Foster, the party's leader and NI's first minister, is due to meet Mr Johnson this morning to discuss her concerns before attending the talks with the EU Commission.

Also at the talks will be Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's vice-president and Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, who said the DUP was "whipping up hysteria" while others were "calling for calm and resolution".

What is the NI protocol?

Part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, the NI protocol guarantees an open border between the EU and Northern Ireland, with no controls on exported products.

It was introduced to avoid creating a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Instead there are checks on some products travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

This is because Northern Ireland in effect remains part of the EU single market for goods while the rest of the UK has left.

However, Article 16 of the protocol part of the deal allows the EU and UK to choose to suspend any aspects they consider are causing "economic, societal or environmental difficulties".

The EU announced it would trigger the clause to control exports of vaccines to Northern Ireland, but later reversed the decision.

Unionist parties in NI have been pressing the UK government to use Article 16 to reduce checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.