Boris Johnson's government declared on Monday (6 September) that it would unilaterally extend grace periods on goods inspections once more, putting the UK and the European Union on a collision course over the Northern Ireland protocol.
Brexit minister David Frost said in a cabinet statement on Monday that London would continue to operate the Protocol as is, thereby prolonging the current grace periods.
“In order to provide time and political space for these discussions, and to give business as much trading certainty as possible, we have announced today that we will maintain the existing arrangements for moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including the current grace periods and easements.”
The unilateral step, which the UK took in March to circumvent border checks on a number of goods, is the latest in a series of flexing by Frost in an attempt to sway the EU to revise the agreement.
For several months, UK and EU officials have been in negotiations aimed at easing the obstacles encountered by businesses in Northern Ireland, but they are no closer to breaking the impasse. On Thursday and Friday, European Commission Vice President Maro efovi, who is in charge of the EU's implementation of the Brexit agreement, will visit Northern Ireland.
Without adjustments to the protocol, a lot of border check grace periods will expire on October 1st. The use of export health certification for meat, dairy, fish, and eggs travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is one of them. The European Commission responded by saying it will "take note" of the UK's decision.
“Our focus remains on identifying long-term, flexible and practical solutions to address issues related to the practical implementation of the Protocol that citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland are experiencing,” the EU executive said, emphasising that the protocol would not be renegotiated. The Commission stated that “Both sides are legally bound to fulfil their obligations under the Agreement,” and that “our approach to the Protocol is based on the achievement of stability, certainty and predictability in line with the objectives of the Good Friday Agreement and in order to protect the Single Market.”
The Commission, on the other hand, indicated that it had no plans to start new legal procedures against the United Kingdom after pausing an infringement case against the country over the extension in March.
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