Irish minister: EU, UK unlikely to resolve border dispute for now
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney says an agreement between the UK and the European Union regarding the Irish border dispute is unlikely before the end of this year.
Speaking at the Foreign Office in London following a British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on Thursday, Coveney stressed that serious gaps are remaining between the two sides on the Northern Ireland (NI) protocol, over which there has been no breakthrough.
“There hasn't been a breakthrough moment in the last number of weeks, but I think there has been a deeper understanding of each other's positions,” Coveney said.
“Do I think that all issues can be resolved linked to the protocol by the end of the year? I think that's a very tall order and unlikely to happen,” he added.
The ‘NI protocol’ was agreed as part of the Brexit deal to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
According to the protocol, Northern Ireland remains in the EU’s single market for goods as well as in the UK's market, creating a trade border between Northern Ireland and the UK, which requires transiting goods to be checked and controlled.
The EU has proposed measures to ease those checks, but the UK is demanding fundamental reforms and has repeatedly threatened to suspend the NI protocol using Article 16 of the trade deal.
Article 16, which addresses emergency provisions, allows both the UK and the EU to suspend any part of the agreement that causes “economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade.”
EU and UK representatives have held several meetings to talk about the issue but there hasn’t been any progress. Fears are growing that triggering Article 16 will potentially rupture the UK’s already strained relations with the EU.
Russia launches 'ICBM' for first time against Ukraine: Kiev
UK government says Israel arms ban would 'undermine US confidence'
British activist on hunger strike in solidarity with Gaza
Hezbollah attacks Israeli forces after Lebanese homes blown up
World leaders, states hail ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
MP: US accountable for possible Israeli 'foolishness' to attack Iraq
VIDEO | Israeli policies strangle Palestinian agriculture, economy
Iran's president offers condolences to Pakistan over terrorist attack
Canada’s Yukon town council at standstill over refusing oath to King Charles
Yemen's Houthi calls for jihad to protect Palestine against Israel
VIDEO | Internal rifts within Israel
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
