![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2.57738782.jpg\")
Criticism of the European Union is mounting after its short-lived move to override part of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland over export controls on Covid-19 vaccines.<\/p>\nCriticism of the European Union is mounting after its short-lived move to override part of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland over export controls on Covid-19 vaccines.<\/p>\n
UK prime minister Boris Johnson was urged by the North\u2019s first minister Arlene Foster on Saturday to replace the Northern Ireland Protocol, after Brussels invoked a clause to prevent shipments of jabs entering the UK in an \u201cincredible act of hostility\u201d.<\/p>\n
The EU backtracked on the move after condemnation from London, Dublin and Belfast, with leaders all blindsided by the decision to trigger Article 16 of the protocol as the European bloc is embroiled in a row with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca over shortfalls in the delivery of jabs.<\/p>\n
An EU source said the move had been a \u201cmisjudgment\u201d, as the European Commission backtracked to say it is \u201cnot triggering the safeguard clause\u201d to ensure the protocol is \u201cunaffected\u201d.<\/p>\n
Despite criticism from the World Health Organization, the EU is pushing ahead with imposing controls on vaccines manufactured within member states, which could hinder the UK\u2019s access to further supplies, particularly to the Belgian-made Pfizer jab.<\/p>\n
The U-turn on Northern Ireland late on Friday night came after the UK prime minister expressed his \u201cgrave concern\u201d to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who also faced pressure from the Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin.<\/p>\n
The EU chief said she had agreed a \u201csatisfactory way to introduce an export authorization mechanism\u201d for vaccines with Mr Martin, who was said to be furious about the initial move.<\/p>\n
Ms von der Leyen said she had held \u201cconstructive talks\u201d with Mr Johnson, adding: \u201cWe agreed on the principle that there should not be restrictions on the export of vaccines by companies where they are fulfilling contractual responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
But attempts to soothe tensions did little to stem the flow of criticism, with Julian Smith, a Conservative MP and former Northern Ireland secretary, saying the \u201cEU cocked up big time\u201d in risking a hard border returning to the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they did that, in my view, without anywhere near the understanding of the Good Friday Agreement, of the sensitivity of the situation in Northern Ireland, and it was an almost Trumpian act,\u201d he told BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today program.<\/p>\n
DUP leader Ms Foster said the move was \u201cabsolutely disgraceful\u201d and reiterated calls for the UK prime minister to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol over food shortages being faced in her region because of Brexit.<\/p>\n
She warned of \u201cgreat unrest and great tension\u201d in the region and urged Mr Johnson to tear up and replace the protocol, which is part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and is designed to allow the free movement of goods from the EU into Northern Ireland and prevent a hard border.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe protocol is unworkable, let\u2019s be very clear about that, and we need to see it replaced because otherwise there is going to be real difficulties here in Northern Ireland,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Pressed whether that would be in breach of an international treaty, she told Today: \u201cWell it didn\u2019t seem to bother the European Union yesterday when they breached the treaty in terms of their embarrassment around their vaccine procurement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spanish foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez-Laya told BBC Newsnight the EU\u2019s triggering of the article was \u201can accident\u201d.<\/p>\n
But the bloc continued to warn of further action, saying: \u201cShould transits of vaccines and active substances toward third countries be abused to circumvent the effects of the authorization system, the EU will consider using all the instruments at its disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said \u201clessons should be learned\u201d and warned the protocol \u201cis not something to be tampered with lightly, it\u2019s an essential, hard-won compromise, protecting peace and trade for many\u201d.<\/p>\n
The EU had sought to justify the measure as being needed to prevent Northern Ireland being used as a back door to move Covid-19 vaccines from the bloc into the UK, \u201cdue to a lack of supply threatening to disturb the orderly implementation of the vaccination campaigns in the member states\u201d.<\/p>\n
Regardless of the U-turn, French President Emmanuel Macron backed the EU seeking to \u201ccontrol\u201d vaccine exports as he raised questions about a lack of doses being delivered by Anglo-Swedish firm AstraZeneca.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be controlled because there is questionable behavior and we will be receiving fewer deliveries that do not honor the contractual engagements agreed,\u201d he said in an interview with media, including the Guardian.<\/p>\n
Brussels has also demanded doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in British plants to solve its supply shortage issues, as member states have been forced to pause or delay their rollouts.<\/p>\n